International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1], based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyzes developments in the Middle East, the Balkans, and other regions worldwide. H.E. Altay Abibullayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Slovenia, in his article entitled »Kazakhstan on the Threshold of a New Political Phase«, provides a comprehensive and well-substantiated overview of Kazakhstan’s constitutional, political, economic and technological transformation, presenting the elections to the Kurultai as a significant test of the country’s new institutional framework and its future development.
On 23 August 2026, Kazakhstan will hold the first election of members of the Kurultai following the entry into force of the new Constitution. This will be the country’s first nationwide electoral campaign to form its new supreme representative body. The outcome of the vote will determine the composition of the Kurultai, whose members will serve five-year terms, adopt legislation and participate in addressing issues of national importance.
A total of seven political parties are participating in the elections: Adilet, the Nationwide Social Democratic Party (OSDP), the Baitak Green Party, the People’s Party of Kazakhstan, Auyl, Ak Zhol, and Respublica. According to the Central Election Commission, the party lists comprise a total of 545 candidates competing for 145 seats.
Adilet has nominated the largest party list, comprising 186 candidates. Its platform focuses on building a “Just Kazakhstan” and includes human capital development, digital transformation of the state, economic modernization, regional development, social policy, culture, and environmental issues. The party places particular emphasis on digital government, a fair economy, and improving the quality of public administration.
The OSDP is running 33 candidates under its “20 Peaks on the Path to Progress” programme. The party’s platform is based on three core values — freedom, justice, and solidarity — and calls for greater social responsibility of the state, economic efficiency, technological development, and greater accountability of the authorities to society.
Baitak has nominated 51 candidates and has the most distinct environmental agenda among the participating parties. Its programme, entitled “Kazakhstan — A Country for Life,” focuses on environmental protection, clean air and water, environmentally responsible economic development, and greater public participation in decision making.
The People’s Party of Kazakhstan, with 72 candidates, places particular emphasis on social policy, quality domestic education, and protecting the social interests of
the population.
Auyl, which has nominated 69 candidates, focuses on food security, rural development and infrastructure, social policy, education and science, environmental protection, and traditional family values. The party says its programme was developed taking into account proposals collected from residents of all 20 regions through a dedicated digital platform.
Ak Zhol is running 63 candidates under its programme “Change Is Inevitable.” Its key priorities include strengthening parliamentarianism, developing a free market economy, protecting the interests of domestic businesses, combating corruption, developing human capital and modern technologies, as well as safeguarding Kazakhstan’s national interests and independence. The party also advocates stronger
checks and balances and greater accountability of government bodies.
Respublica, which has nominated 76 candidates, maintains its focus on entrepreneurship, with particular emphasis on developing small and medium-sized businesses, reducing administrative barriers, protecting entrepreneurs, digitalization, and the development and application of artificial intelligence. Overall, the party platforms cover a broad range of issues, from social protection and rural development to the digital economy, entrepreneurship, environmental policy, and institutional reform.
The election campaign began on July 23 and has included public meetings between parties and voters, programme presentations, and televised debates. On July 29, Qazaqstan TV hosted a debate involving representatives of all seven parties under the theme “The Future of Kazakhstan — Human Capital.” The participants included Serik Egizbayev of Auyl, Nurgul Kadyrbayeva of Baitak, Renat Bekturov of Adilet, Tazabek Sambetbay of the OSDP, Olzhas Nuraldinov of Ak Zhol, Ekaterina Smolyakova of Respublica, and Sunkar Islam of the People’s Party of Kazakhstan. During the discussion, the party representatives presented their programmes and proposals concerning education, social policy, the economy, regional development, and human capital.
The televised debate campaign continued in August on other television platforms. In particular, Jibek Joly hosted team debates accompanied by online audience voting. The Central Election Commission also officially approved the list of participants for televised party debates on Khabar TV. The final major debate, “Main Debates — 2026,” was held on August 19 and broadcast live by 24KZ, with representatives of all seven political parties taking part. The debate served as the final major discussion platform for the parties ahead of the August 23 vote.
The upcoming election of members of the Kurultai represents a significant milestone in the formation of Kazakhstan’s representative body and the continued development of its legislative system under the new constitutional framework. Its defining feature is the transition, initiated by the Head of State, from the former bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Mazhilis and the Senate, to a unicameral supreme representative body known as the Kurultai, comprising 145 members elected for five-year terms.
The Kurultai will be elected through a proportional party-list system, reflecting the effectiveness of proportional representation and the growing role of political parties in representing citizens’ interests. By casting their votes, citizens will help determine the composition of the body responsible for adopting legislation, considering issues of public importance and shaping the country’s legislative policy. This underscores the civic responsibility of every voter and highlights the exceptional significance of these elections for Kazakhstan’s future.
The electoral process serves as a vital link between society and representative institutions. Voting ensures that citizens’ political preferences, priorities and expectations are reflected in the composition of the new Kurultai. This helps ensure that the Kurultai’s work represents the diverse views and interests of society.
Elections also provide a mechanism for the periodic renewal of representative authority. Forming a new Kurultai in accordance with the will of the people strengthens the accountability of its members to the electorate and promotes constructive interaction between the state and society.
The forthcoming electoral campaign marks a fundamentally new stage in the development of Kazakhstan’s political system, made possible by the adoption of the new Constitution. It represents not merely another institutional reform, but a comprehensive modernization of the system of public administration. The establishment of a new supreme representative body lays the foundations for an updated model of interaction between the state and society, while creating broader opportunities for citizens to participate in public affairs and further strengthening representative institutions.
The upcoming elections should therefore be viewed not simply as a process of electing representatives, but as a significant political and civic event that will shape the quality of public representation, enhance the effectiveness of the legislative process and contribute to the continued development of Kazakhstan’s state institutions.
The election of members of the Kurultai is the result of a comprehensive political reform initiated by the Head of State. The reform reflects the course of consistent political modernization set out by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and is aimed at strengthening representative institutions while enhancing the role of citizens in forming the country’s legislative body.
The name of the new institution is deeply rooted in Kazakhstan’s historical traditions
and reflects a return to the foundations of Kazakh statehood. Historically, kurultais were assemblies at which the nation’s most important issues were debated, laws were adopted, rulers were elected and decisions shaping the future of the state were made. These assemblies served as the highest forums for collective decision-making and provided a means of reconciling the interests of different groups within society.
The adoption of this historic name in a modern political context underscores the continuity of Kazakhstan’s traditions of statehood and reinforces the connection between the country’s new constitutional framework and its historical heritage.
Beyond its symbolic significance, the transition to a unicameral system also serves the practical purpose of improving the efficiency of the legislative process. Under the previous bicameral system, draft laws were considered sequentially by the Mazhilis and the Senate, which lengthened the legislative process and required additional coordination between the two chambers. Consolidating legislative work within a single representative body streamlines this process and improves both the speed and quality of lawmaking. At the same time, the reform seeks to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic procedures, making the work of the representative body more transparent, accessible and responsive to citizens. The upcoming elections therefore mark the beginning of a new political paradigm in which the country’s supreme representative body is formed through the free expression of citizens’ will.
The foundation of the electoral process is the free and informed expression of citizens’ will. Every voter has the right to decide independently whether to participate in the elections and which political party to support. This decision must be made freely, without coercion, intimidation, vote-buying or any other form of unlawful influence.
Participation in elections is one of the principal ways in which citizens exercise their constitutional right to take part directly in the governance of the state. By casting their votes, citizens express their views on the formation of the country’s representative body and influence who will represent their interests in the Kurultai. The responsibility of public authorities and all participants in the electoral process is to ensure conditions that enable every citizen to make a free, informed and independent choice.
The secrecy of the ballot is a fundamental guarantee of the free expression of citizens’ will. Protecting the confidentiality of each vote strengthens public confidence in the electoral process and safeguards every voter’s freedom to make an independent decision.
Equally important is ensuring that citizens have access to accurate and comprehensive information about the participating political parties, their platforms and the voting procedure. An informed choice is possible only when voters are able to compare different political positions, assess the proposals presented by political parties and make decisions based on their own views and convictions.
The electoral campaign is a structured process in which each stage serves a distinct purpose and helps ensure that the elections are conducted in accordance with the law:
The nomination of party lists determines the participants in the electoral process. Registration confirms that the submitted documents comply with the requirements of electoral legislation. The campaign period provides political parties with equal opportunities to present their platforms to voters. The verification of voter lists helps ensure that every eligible citizen can exercise the right to vote. The Day of Silence allows voters to make their final decision free from campaigning, while Election Day concludes the process of forming the new Kurultai.
The orderly conduct of every stage promotes transparency throughout the electoral process, ensures equal conditions for all participants and strengthens public confidence in the election results.
Political competition is one of the fundamental principles of a democratic electoral process. During the election campaign, political parties and candidates present their platforms, policy proposals and approaches to addressing the country’s key development challenges. This enables citizens to consider different political perspectives and make an informed choice based on their own views and assessment of the proposals presented by participants in the elections.
Electoral competition must take place strictly within the framework of the law and be guided by the principles of equal treatment, respect for voters and compliance with the rules governing the election campaign. Public debate should be conducted responsibly and in accordance with the standards of political culture. The dissemination of false information, hate speech, unlawful campaigning and any other
actions that could undermine the fairness or transparency of the elections are unacceptable.
The presence of diverse political platforms and policy agendas is a natural feature of the electoral process and contributes to meaningful public dialogue. Political competition allows voters to compare the proposals put forward by participants in the elections, evaluate their arguments and determine which approaches best reflect their expectations and interests.
The primary purpose of the elections is to enable citizens to express their political preferences freely and independently. By exercising their right to vote, citizens make the final decision on the composition of the Kurultai, thereby ensuring that the country’s supreme representative body is formed through the free expression of citizens’ will.
The early announcement of the elections by the Head of State provided political parties with sufficient time to prepare thoroughly for the campaign. The upcoming elections clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the proportional electoral system.
The party-list system shifts the focus from the personal ambitions of individual candidates to competition between ideas, comprehensive policy platforms and long-term strategies for the country’s development. Political parties present citizens with coherent visions for Kazakhstan’s future, covering issues ranging from economic renewal and support for entrepreneurship to reforms in education, healthcare and regional governance.
The participation of political parties ensures genuine political pluralism and encourages broad public debate. In this context, the civic responsibility of every voter becomes especially important. Understanding party platforms, comparing priorities and making an informed choice are what transform voting into a meaningful instrument of democratic governance.
Election campaigning: a time for open dialogue and civic engagement. Following the completion of the registration of party lists, the electoral campaign enters its most substantive phase: the election campaigning period. This stage is more than a formal legal procedure; it provides an opportunity for direct, open and constructive dialogue between political parties and the public.
Through public meetings, media discussions and engagement on digital platforms, political parties must demonstrate the merits and credibility of their proposals. For society, this period highlights the importance of active civic participation in political life. Public engagement in discussions, thoughtful questions put to candidates and critical evaluation of campaign commitments all contribute to the development of a mature political culture.
Why this marks the most important stage of the electoral campaign. The significance of the upcoming elections cannot be overstated. Kazakhstan is undergoing a fundamental transformation of its political system under the new Constitution. In this context, the elections to the Kurultai are far more than a routine electoral event. They represent a defining moment in the renewal of the country’s state institutions and lay the foundations for a new political reality. This campaign is particularly significant because all seven officially registered political parties are taking part in the elections. Each party offers its own vision for the country’s future, addressing issues ranging from environmental protection to economic development and social modernization. The participation of the full spectrum of registered political parties guarantees genuine political pluralism and gives every citizen the opportunity to find a political platform that reflects their values and priorities.
The earlier organizational stages laid the groundwork for the campaign. The focus now shifts to substantive competition between ideas, with public trust becoming the decisive factor. Every vote cast in these elections represents direct participation in the implementation of Kazakhstan’s constitutional reform. The informed choices made by citizens will determine who represents their interests in the renewed Kurultai and sets the direction of the country’s development over the next five years.
Participation in elections is one of the most important ways for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights and express their views on the country’s development. By exercising their right to vote, citizens take a direct part in forming the representative body that will adopt legislation and represent the interests of the population. The significance of these elections lies in the fact that the broader the participation of citizens in voting, the more fully the diversity of public views and interests will be reflected in the election results.
High voter turnout strengthens public confidence in the electoral process and enhances the public legitimacy of the newly elected Kurultai. A representative body elected with broad public participation is regarded as reflecting the will of different social groups and the interests of society as a whole.
All the necessary technical arrangements have been put in place to make voting as convenient as possible and to ensure that every citizen can exercise their right to vote. Every voter can verify their electoral status and polling station number online in advance using the Individual Identification Number (IIN) verification service available through official digital platforms. Citizens who will be away from their place of permanent registration on Election Day may obtain an absentee voting certificate in advance, enabling them to vote at another polling station convenient for them. The availability of these services demonstrates the openness of the electoral process and enables every citizen to fulfil their civic responsibility by participating in the elections.
Kazakhstan is not presenting the Kurultai elections as an isolated political event, but as a further step in the country’s broader institutional renewal. The true test of the reform, however, will be whether the new institutional framework translates into greater political accountability, meaningful pluralism, and more effective citizen participation in decision-making.
Participation in elections is therefore not only the exercise of an individual constitutional right but also an important contribution to the formation of representative institutions, the strengthening of democratic governance and the public legitimacy of the newly elected Kurultai.
The article presents the stance of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of IFIMES.
Ljubljana, 20 August 2026
[1] IFIMES - International Institute for Middle East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN in New York since 2018, and it is the publisher of the international scientific journal "European Perspectives." Available at: https://www.europeanperspectives.org/en
