KAZAKHSTAN ELECTIONS SPECIAL REPORT | NOVEMBER 2020 https://eurac.tv/9RYz With the support of KAZAKHSTAN ELECTIONS SPECIAL REPORT https://eurac.tv/9RYz Kazakhstan is to hold parliamentary elections for the Majilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh parliament, on 10 January 2021. Despite the coronavirus pandem- ic, the Central Asian country is inviting observers and journalists and is hoping to attract international at- tention. Contents Kazakhstan to hold parliamentary elections in January 4 Expert: Multi-party democracy has potential in Kazakhstan 6 Political scientist: COVID-19 will not become a brake for Kazakhstan election 9 Kazakhstan election holds genuine strategic importance 13 ‘We have to be observers’ in Kazakh elections, MEP says 16 4 SPECIAL REPORT | KAZAKHSTAN ELECTIONS | EURACTIV Kazakhstan to hold parliamentary elections in January By Georgi Gotev | EURACTIV.com The Mazhilis – the lower house of the Kazakh parliament in the capital Nur-Sultan. [Georgi Gotev] azakh President Kassym- Kazakh Parliament consisting of 107 Majilis were held in March 2016. Six Jomart Tokayev has signed deputies who are elected for a five-year political parties participated in the Ka decree scheduling the term. The upper house is the Senate elections and three of them, Nur Otan parliamentary elections for the Majilis of Kazakhstan, with 47 members. (82.2%), Ak Zhol Democratic Party of for 10 January 2021. The elections are Members of the Senate are elected on Kazakhstan (7.18%), the Communist seen as another step in the process of the basis of indirect suffrage by secret People’s Party of Kazakhstan (7.14%), “controlled democratisation” of the ballot, and half of the elected members won the right to send their deputies to former Soviet republic. are up for election every three years. the chamber. Majilis is the lower chamber of the The previous elections for the Currently, the Nur Otan party Continued on Page 5 SPECIAL REPORT | KAZAKHSTAN ELECTIONS | EURACTIV 5 Continued from Page 4 has a majority of 84 deputies in the “One chair and two secretaries of reforms in the country.” Majilis, while the Ak Zhol and the the Majilis standing committees will Communist People’s party have 7 now be elected from the members The president said that in the deputies each. of the parliamentary opposition. context of a global economic crisis In addition, the parliamentary brought on by the coronavirus Nine deputies are elected opposition will have the right to pandemic, Kazakhstan has to take from the Assembly of People of initiate parliamentary hearings at effective anti-crisis measures, Kazakhstan, an advisory body least once during one session and to ensuring sustainable economic under the president of Kazakhstan set the agenda for the government development, and improving the whose members are drawn from hour at least twice during one well-being of the people. organisations representing major session,” said the Kazakh president. ethnic communities living in the He encouraged Kazakhs to country. In 2019, Tokayev signed a decree participate in the elections. January that introduced a mandatory 30% is usually very cold in the Central “All political parties had time to quota for women and young people Asian country, with temperatures in prepare for the upcoming election on party lists in an effort to increase the capital Nur-Sultan often as low as campaign, develop an election their voice in the decision-making minus 30 degrees Celsius. platform, and enhance party process. infrastructure. The Central Election Commission and the Prosecutor The next elections for maslikhats General’s Office will continuously (representative local authority monitor the legality, transparency, bodies) will for the first time be held and fairness of elections,” Tokayev based on party lists, which according said in his address. to Tokayev will “enable parties to strengthen their position in the He emphasised the reforms he country’s political system.” has undertaken since he stepped into the presidential office in June In August, seventeen Senate 2019, including the introduction of deputies from the nation’s 14 regions a parliamentary opposition institute. and cities of Nur-Sultan, Almaty and Shymkent were elected to the Senate. Tokayev won the 9 June 2019 poll with 70% of the votes, in elections The renewed composition of the disputed by seven candidates – a Kazakh parliament, noted Tokayev, novelty in terms of pluralism for the will focus on “quality legislative country. support for social and economic 6 SPECIAL REPORT | KAZAKHSTAN ELECTIONS | EURACTIV INTERVIEW Expert: Multi-party democracy has potential in Kazakhstan By Georgi Gotev | EURACTIV.com Samuel Doveri Vesterbye [Screenshot from an EURACTIV video] he upcoming elections for the Kazakhstan will hold parliamentary Jomart Tokayev. Is this a fair Majilis, the lower chamber elections on 10 January 2021. The assessment? What is your take? Tof Kazakhstan’s Parliament, country is inviting observers and are a clear improvement in terms is apparently disappointed that ‘Controlled democratisation’ is of representation and legislative because of the coronavirus pandemic, tricky. On one hand, OSCE reports changes, Samuel Doveri Vesterbye the elections will probably not get clearly show legislative changes, told EURACTIV in an interview. much international attention. I which have led to degrees of societal recently wrote that the elections are openness being allowed by the Sam Doveri Versterbye is managing part of the process of “controlled government since 2017. Many such director at the European Neighbourhood democratisation” which is ongoing legislative changes were a direct result Council, an independent think tank. He under the new President Kassym- of recommendations from ODHIR. spoke to EURACTIV’s Georgi Gotev. Continued on Page 7 SPECIAL REPORT | KAZAKHSTAN ELECTIONS | EURACTIV 7 Continued from Page 6 competitiveness. As monopolies Do you think that political forces other One the other hand, it’s clear from rarely wish to give-up the reigns than the Nur Otan party in power will the 2019 presidential election results on power, friction is sometimes a always remain marginal? Is this the and the country’s very young ‘multi- necessity, yet the degree of instability reason why the establishment is so party system’, that concrete power which this may evoke is a valid confident that the elections will be a continues to lay disproportionally concern that countries may have. success – no matter what is the result? in the hands of the government. Whereas ‘controlled democracy’ In Europe, for example, many The upcoming elections are allows for degrees of liberty, it differs political parties were linked to trade a clear improvement in terms of from real democracy in the sense that unions in the past. It was in large representation and legislative the business community, judicial part because of the collective power changes. It remains undeniable courts and media groups remain less to strike and the capability to disrupt that the leadership of Kazakhstan independent. the industrialist power-holders and followed several guidelines monopolistic governments that and ODHIR recommendations, The competitive nature of multi- European democracy and people’s particularly since the last presidential party governance, which democracies rights were born. Historically, the and parliamentary elections. are famous for, remains in its infancy need for arbitration came out of in Kazakhstan, but not without both ideas and necessity. The fact As a result of the 2017 potential. The creation of democracy that many (not few) power-holders constitutional reform, the Election necessitates a social contract, where and different business existed meant Law of Kazakhstan was changed parties and citizens agree to fight that arbitration and independent in 2017, 2018, 2019 and again for the government-office through courts were needed in order to avoid this year, following a variety of commonly agreed boundaries and continuous instability. recommendations from international rules. But in order to get to that actors including the OSCE. These stage, the power balance in society Today, Kazakhstan seeks to legislative changes include the must be representative for everyone pursue a different path – “controlled formation of the lower-level election competing. democracy” – which legitimately commissions, voter registration wants to avoid instability. The genuine reforms, and the securing of minimal In Kazakhstan today, the more paradox however remains: how much representativeness of women and marginalised groups on the left or control is too much control when you youth, among a variety of other liberal-right may not possess the control democratisation? amendments. same tools and funds to compete fairly with the government. You can The presidential elections of June It’s important however to note that also apply this to other countries, 2019 were a first sign that new the Ministry of Information and Social like the United States, where de- political players – and new political Development, the Prosecutor General regulated campaign funding rules forces – could get their share in the and the National Security Committee often distort competition through political landscape of the country. The remain entitled to block websites and monetary bias. It’s a very delicate establishment appears as centrist vis- halt media outlet operations, without situation, since history shows us à-vis the communists on the left and prior judicial oversight. how democratisation can lead to