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Kazakhstan polls close; Adilet exit polls near 70% for new Kurultai
Developing
What we know
Kazakhstan held a snap parliamentary election on Sunday for a new unicameral 145-seat legislature, the Kurultai, after a constitutional overhaul that took effect July 1. Al Jazeera reported polls closed at 8 p.m. local time and that the Central Election Commission said about 74 percent of roughly 12 million eligible voters cast ballots.
AP and Al Jazeera said only state-approved parties were on the ballot and that the vote was widely expected to strengthen President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Deutsche Welle reported three state-television exit polls putting the new Tokayev-aligned Adilet (“Justice”) party at 70 to 72 percent, with four smaller loyal parties also taking seats. Official results were still being counted.
What's confirmed
- AP: Kazakhstan voted Sunday in a parliamentary election expected to further strengthen Tokayev’s hold in Central Asia’s largest country; the president was photographed casting a ballot in Astana.
- Al Jazeera: polls closed Sunday 8 p.m. local; CEC began the count; turnout about 74 percent of ~12 million eligible voters; 145-member unicameral Kurultai; 5 percent threshold to enter; only approved parties ran.
- Al Jazeera: Amanat, the long-dominant party, voted in June to dissolve into Adilet, a new party led by Tokayev aides; other listed parties include Auyl, Aq Jol, the People’s Party of Kazakhstan, the Nationwide Social Democratic Party, Baytaq, and Respublica.
- Deutsche Welle: three state-TV exit polls showed Adilet at 70–72 percent; four smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also won seats on those polls; opposition parties were barred; seven state-approved parties fielded candidates.
- Al Jazeera: Tokayev, 73, won the 2022 presidential election with more than 80 percent against little-known challengers; OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said it would deploy nearly 80 parliamentarians and staff from about 30 countries as observers.
- Al Jazeera: inflation hit 10.2 percent in February and tax increases have fed public discontent; media groups have urged the government to drop criminal cases against journalists.
- Deutsche Welle: Tokayev succeeded Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2019; January 2022 unrest left 238 protesters and police dead by DW’s count; a March constitutional package, DW said, effectively reset presidential term limits.
What's still developing
- Official seat totals for Adilet and other parties. Exit polls are not certified results.
- How the new Kurultai is seated and what legislation follows the July 1 constitutional system.
- Observer findings from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly mission after counting ends.
Sources
- AP News — Sunday vote; expected to strengthen Tokayev; Astana ballot photos link
- Al Jazeera — Polls closed 8 p.m.; CEC 74% turnout; 145-seat Kurultai; Adilet/Amanat; observer mission link
- Deutsche Welle — State-TV exit polls Adilet 70–72%; opposition barred; 2022 unrest death toll; term-limit reset link
- Al Jazeera — Explainer: 5% threshold; listed parties; July 1 unicameral shift; 2022 presidential result link