Evaluation of the Parliamentary Elections In
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22.03.2016-28.03.2016 • No: 60 EVALUATION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN KAZAKHSTAN ON MARCH 20, 2016 The elections to the sixth Parliament of Ka- According to the Law on Local Public Admin- 234 candidates from a list of six-parties attained zakhstan, namely, to the Lower Chamber of the istration and Self-Governance in the Republic the elections, namely, 127 candidates from the Parliament (Majilis), was held on March 20, of Kazakhstan, Maslikhats, which are responsi- Nur Otan Party, 35 from the Ak Zhol Demo- 2016. The parliamentary elections were held ble for making local decisions, could be orga- cratic Party of Kazakhstan, 22 from the Com- earlier than it was previously scheduled due to nized at the regional, city and district levels, so munist People’s Party of Kazakhstan, 19 from the initiative of the parliamentarians of the fifth as in the city of republican significance (Al- the Auyl National Patriotic" Party, 8 from the Parliament, who appealed to the President of maty), and in the capital city (Astana) (Article Unity Party and 23 from the National Social Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, to dissolve 1). However, there are no Maslikhats in villag- Democratic Party were included in the election the Majilis and to enter a new election process. es. Despite absence of the legal entity rights process. According to the Central Election The main purpose of the aforementioned (Article 5) Maslikhats are liable in front of the Committee of Kazakhstan, the result of the vote initiative was to implement Nazarbayev’s citizens in their region for their activities (Arti- count in electoral districts with total of 9840 program of reforms and to form a new effective cle 8). The Central Election Committee deter- ballot boxes is 77.12% or 7,566,150 voters out Majilis, which would be able to receive a vote mines the number of members of the Mas- of 9,810,852 registered voters. The distribution of confidence in order to modernize the coun- likhats. The number of members in regional of votes are as follows: 82.20% for the Nur try. Maslikhats, Maslikhats of Astana and Almaty Otan Party (6,183,757), 7.14% for the Com- According to the Constitution of the Republic city parliaments can be up to 50, in the city munist People’s Party of Kazakhstan (537,123), of Kazakhstan, the Parliament consists of two Maslikhats - up to 30 and in the district Mas- 7.18% for the Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Chambers: the Senate and the Majilis. The likhats – up to 25 (Article 5). All Kazakhstani Kazakhstan, 0.29% for the Unity Party Senate consists of 47 deputies. The Senate shall citizens who have reached twenty years of age (21,484), 1.18% for the National Social Demo- be composed of deputies elected in twos from can become a member of the Maslikhat. The cratic Party (88,813) and 2.01% for the Auyl each of 14 regions, Almaty city, which is a city duty term of the Maslikhat’s members is 5 National Patriotic Party (151,285). According of the national importance, and Astana city, years and they are elected by the citizens on the to these results, the Nur Otan Party constitutes which is the capital of the country. 15 deputies basis of universal, equal and direct right under 84 seats in the Majilis, while the Communist are assigned by the President in order to repre- the secret ballot (Article 5). People’s Party of Kazakhstan and the Ak Zhol sent national, cultural and other interests of the Current international tensions between the Democratic Party of Kazakhstan constitute 7 society (Article 50). The deputies of the Senate Western countries and Russia, especially, the seats each. The most active attendance to the should be elected on the basis of an indirect economic sanctions implemented towards election was observed in four regions: Almaty electoral right under the secret ballot. Half of Russia by the West, have negatively affected region (94.06%), Atyrau region (85.37%), the elected deputies of the Senate should be re- the development of Kazakhstan. In his Address South Kazakhstan region (85.06%) and Kosta- elected every three years. In this light, the to the Nation, titled “Kazakhstan in New nai region (84.85%). On the contrary, the least regular Senate elections should be held no later Global Reality: Growth, Reform and Develop- active attendance was observed in Almaty city than two months before the end of the deputies’ ment,” held on November 30, 2015, Nursultan (34.1%). term in office. The duty term of a deputy of the Nazarbayev indicated the Roadmap, which sets On March 21, 2016, in order to determine the Senate is 6 years. Kazakhstani citizens who the measures that are to aid in solving all the rest of the members of the sixth Majilis the have reached thirty years of age and have no elections were held by the Assembly of People problems, which negatively affect the devel- legal barrier to be elected can become a deputy of Kazakhstan. According to the results of the opment of the country. He indicated the of the Senate (Article 51). Central Election Committee, 83.41% or 372 out Roadmap with three main concepts and five According to the Law on Election of the Re- of 446 registered voters gave their votes elect- public of Kazakhstan, the Majilis can be main directions. These five main directions are ing nine parliamentarians among different formed from the representative of a political developed to achieve structural transformation ethnic groups such as Kazakh, Russian, Mord- party, which has overcome 7% threshold with holistic view in order to fight against the vin, Korean, Armenian, Chechen, Uyghur, (Article. 97-1). According to the Constitution, crisis, which negatively affects the develop- Ukrainian and Dungan. the number of members of the Majilis is 107 ment of the country: 1) Stabilization of the A total of 995 observers from international and (Article 50). 98% of these members are elected financial sector; 2) Optimization of the fiscal local organizations observed the parliamentary on the basis of universal, equal and direct right policy; 3) Privatization and promotion of the elections in Kazakhstan. For instance, 8 ob- under the secret ballot while the other 9 mem- economic competition; 4) New investment servers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the bers are elected by the Assembly of People of policy framework; 5) New social policies. Turkic-Speaking countries (TURKPA) attended Kazakhstan. Kazakhstani citizens who have It is obvious that new legal arrangements the process. The observers from international reached twenty-five years of age and have no should be made in order to strengthen the and local organizations announced that the legal barrier to be elected can become a deputy implementation of the main strategies for the elections were held in a free, fair, transparent of the Majilis (Article 51). According to the continuous development of the country and of and democratic environment. In conclusion, in Article 54, the Majlis has the rule making the five main directions mentioned above. order to protect themselves from negative power. During the fifth elections to the Majilis Therefore, Nursultan Nazarbayev emphasized effects of conflicts in the region and to fight held on January 15, 2012, only 3 out of 7 that the initiative of the Parliament was a against the socio-economic problems caused by political parties were able to pass 7% threshold: patriotically responsible behavior and that the global crisis, Kazakhstani citizens have the Nur Otan Party (80.99%), the Ak Zhol renewing the Majlis would positively affect shown their support to the Nur Otan Party, Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (7.47%) and both the country and the citizens. We can which has been carrying out the policy of being the Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan observe that the Kazakhstani society has re- “An Eternal State”. (7.19%). As a result of the election, the Nur sponsibly approached the elections and has Note: Elections of Maslikhats were held along Otan Party, the Ak Zhol Democratic Party of given a vote of confidence to the Nur Otan with the elections to the sixth Parliament. Kazakhstan and the Communist People’s Party Party, which is headed by Nursultan Nazarba- According to the territorial election commis- of Kazakhstan constituted 83%, 8% and 7% of yev once more. This can also be proven by the sion, the Nur Otan Party has won the majority seats in the Majilis. results of the elections. of the seats in Maslikhats. Written by Aidarbek Amirbek, Eurasian Research Institute, Kazakhstan ñ The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Algeria, Nigeria and other Politics, Foreign Affairs and Security Kyrgyzstan announced its plans to countries. ñ According to the Central Election submit the issue of the situation on a ñ Within the framework of a meeting Commission of Kazakhstan, the par- section of its border with Uzbekistan of the supervisory board of the Vla- ty of the Kazakh President Nursultan for consideration by the Permanent divostok port held by the Deputy Nazarbayev Nur Otan won the ma- Council of the Collective Security Prime Minister of Russia and the jority in the lower house (Majilis) of Treaty Organization. Recently, the presidential envoy in the Far Eastern the Parliament of the country. The Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry filed a note Federal District, Yuri Trutnev, 29 Nur Otan Party won 84 mandates at of protest to Tashkent demanding to companies with projects worth 85 early elections to the Majilis. As a remove the roadblocks in the disput- billion rubles or $1.23 billion have result of the parliamentary elections, ed border section in the Chalasart ar- been granted the status of residents the Ak Zhol Party and the Com- ea.