Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS 10 and 24 OCTOBER 1999 FINAL REPORT ODIHR ELECTION OBSERVATION Warsaw 20 January 2000 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................................................... 1 2.1 Recommendations .................................................................................................................2 3 LEGISLATIVE AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK........................................................ 4 3.1 The Electoral Law .................................................................................................................4 3.2 System of Representation ......................................................................................................4 The Senate (Upper House) .........................................................................................................4 The Majilis (Lower House) ........................................................................................................4 Party Lists and Proportional Representation ............................................................................5 Single Mandate Constituencies ..................................................................................................5 Maslikhat Elections....................................................................................................................6 3.3 Administrative Structure ......................................................................................................6 The Central Election Commission .............................................................................................6 Neutrality of Elections Commissions .........................................................................................6 Table of Election Commission Structure..............................................................................7 4. PRE-ELECTORAL PHASE .................................................................................................. 8 4.1 Political Party and Candidate Registration...........................................................................8 Candidates to the Single-Mandate Election Districts ................................................................8 Candidates to the Party List Ballot............................................................................................8 4.2 The Political Parties ..............................................................................................................8 Table of the Political Parties with Republican Standing......................................................10 The Case of the RNPK .............................................................................................................11 4.3 The Pre-Election Campaigns...............................................................................................11 4.4 Interference by Executive Authorities.................................................................................12 4.5 The Media Environment .....................................................................................................13 The Laws and Their Impact ....................................................................................................13 Administrative Obstacles.........................................................................................................13 Media Coverage of the Election Campaign .............................................................................14 4.6 The Senate Elections............................................................................................................15 Key Issues Exposed by the Senate Elections ............................................................................15 5 ELECTION DAY................................................................................................................ 15 5.1 Observations of the first round, 10 October ...........................................................................15 Presence of Observers..............................................................................................................15 Observation of Polling Activity................................................................................................16 Counting and Reporting of the Votes ......................................................................................17 The Collapse of Transparency and Accountability Mechanisms.............................................18 5.2 The Second Round, October 24...........................................................................................18 Observations in the Second Round ..........................................................................................19 Observations during Polling ....................................................................................................19 Analysis of Second Round Turnout .........................................................................................20 Table of Observed Voter Turnout, 2nd Round of Elections..................................................21 Analysis of the Second Round Voting Patterns .......................................................................21 Table of Results in Selected Districts, 2nd Round ...............................................................22 6 THE POST ELECTION PHASE.......................................................................................... 22 6.1 Election Appeals, Court Cases and CEC initiatives............................................................22 6.2 Opposition Reaction ............................................................................................................24 6.3 Government Reaction..........................................................................................................24 7 ANALYSIS OF RESULTS.................................................................................................. 25 7.1 Results of Elections Based on the Party List .......................................................................25 Table of Nationwide Party List Results..............................................................................26 7.2 Results from the First Round Single Mandate Races..........................................................27 7.3 Results for the Second Round, October 24..........................................................................27 7.4 Final Results.............................................................................................................................28 Table of Political Make up of the Majilis...........................................................................28 Profile of Elected Members of the Majilis..........................................................................28 ANNEXES ...................................................................................................................................... 30 ANNEX 1 – ANALYSIS OF MEDIA COVERAGE ................................................................................. 30 Chart of Media Coverage of Election Issues ......................................................................31 Distribution of Time between Political Parties – State Television .......................................32 Distribution of Time between Political Parties – Privately-owned Television......................33 Table of Press Coverage by Political Party.........................................................................34 ANNEX 2 - ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF THE SENATE ELECTION ........................................................ 35 Summary of Candidates and Results..................................................................................35 Republic of Kazakhstan Parliamentary Elections 10 and 24 October 1999 OSCE/ODIHR Final Report 20 January 2000 1. INTRODUCTION Based on an invitation issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan to take part in observing the parliamentary (Majilis) elections scheduled for 10 October 1999, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) established an Election Observation Mission (EOM) on 1 September 1999, with observers seconded by participating States. The OSCE/ODIHR appointed Ms. Linda Edgeworth as Head of the long-term Election Observation Mission. Mr. Ihor Ostash, Vice-President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and Member of the Ukrainian Parliament, was appointed to lead the short-term observers as Special Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office. This final report is based on the findings of the EOM for both the first round of elections on 10 October, the second round held on 24 October, and relevant events immediately thereafter. The EOM included 20 core staff and long-term observers, and 118 short-term observers, including 18 members of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. The number of observers was reduced during the second round. They visited 547 polling stations during the first round, and 134 polling stations during the second round. Preliminary statements on the two rounds of elections were issued on 11 and 25 October, respectively. The OSCE/ODIHR wishes to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Central Election