Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s Reforms Spark Surge in Electoral Activity
1st March, 2023
Less than a month remains before the elections to the Mazhilis and Maslikhats of all levels in Kazakhstan. This has led to a revival of the country's political field. In addition to congresses, election programs and meetings with the population, Kazakhstanis are watching the activity of candidates.
Intra-party NPC battles
Almost immediately after the announcement of elections to Mazhilis and maslikhats by the President of the Republic, the People's Party of Kazakhstan started to leave the party. Four out of ten members of the MPK parliamentary group - Yerlan Smailov, Gaziz Kulakhmetov, Zhambyl Akhmetbekov and Aizhan Skakova announced their departure.
The parliamentarians explained their decision by the fact that they no longer share the values, professionalism and ideology of the party leadership. In his turn, Yermukhamet Yertysbayev said that he planned to get rid of the aforementioned parliament members himself, but when he learned about the upcoming elections, he didn't do that.
"These deputies disagreed with my position. They started giving interviews right after the congress last fall. They saw that their position was being lost, they were not on the party list. Therefore, they began to make false throw-ins," said Yermukhamet Yertysbaev, commenting on the departure of the deputies.
Later it became known that deputy Aizhan Skakova joined the green party Baitak.
In the upcoming elections to the Majilis there are 52 candidates from the People's Party of Kazakhstan, including the leader himself, Yermukhamet Yertysbayev.
Campaigning in a disco bar and loud statements of Aq Jol
Aq Jol business party received discussion in Kaznet even before the announcement of the parliamentary elections. Former deputy from the party Azamat Abildaev gave an interview in which he openly supported Russian President Vladimir Putin and his position in the war with Ukraine. The next day he was expelled from the party. After the elections were announced, Abildaev announced that he would take part in the election race as a self-nominee.
On February 1, Akzholov held an extraordinary congress of the party and once again gave the Kazakhs something to discuss. Party leader Azat Peruashev said that he sees the future of Kazakhstan in the European Union. The Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan noted that the republic is developing partnerships with all countries of the world. The question of Kazakhstan joining the new associations is not on the diplomatic agenda.
Since the start of the campaign Azat Peruashev again gave reason for discussion to Kaznet users. In social networks people began to write that for the meeting with the population of Temirtau the party of entrepreneurs chose a striptease club. Later it turned out that this was a local disco bar, which periodically hosts performances by local dancers.
Amanat's false start and the Turlykhanov family scandal
The majority party Amanat did not do without loud headlines either. Before the beginning of the permitted campaign, namely at 18:00 on 18 February, the party's banners began to appear in the regions. Members of other political associations did not hurry to tell about it in social networks.
Amanat responded that there was no command from the party to campaign earlier than the others. And it was a technical mistake of the executors. On the same day, the party made a statement that it would sue Karaganda advertising companies for premature placement of the party's campaign banners for the elections to the Mazhilis and Maslikhats.
A separate discussion, about which almost all republican publications wrote, happened with Daulet Turlykhanov, a candidate for deputy to the Mazhilis from Amanat. To be more exact, with his son - Nurasyl Bolat. On the night of February 10 to 11 there was a street fight in Almaty. Kazakhstani lawyer Anna Dimitrievich told in her Instagram account that she and her husband Oleg Chernov were attacked. In the attacker, Kazakhstani lawyers recognized the son of the honored coach of Kazakhstan Daulet Turlykhanov. After the resonance in social networks, a criminal case was opened against the son of a candidate for deputy to the Mazhilis.
The honored coach condemned his son's behavior and assured that he is not going to interfere into the process, as his son is an adult and he should answer for his actions by himself.
How the agitation campaign is going on
There was also some news on the front of election campaign among deputies of maslikhat. A heated argument flared up among the capital candidates for the maslikhats. The future people's deputies began to complain about their competitors that they took and sometimes pasted their slogans and programs on top of the already pasted up booklets.
Moreover, Aida Jeksenova, a candidate for deputy of maslikhat, stated that her opponent Moldir Akylbekova asked the head of Lazurniy Kvartal’s apartments owners cooperative to remove all candidates' campaign materials except for her from the information stand.
Elections to Majilis and maslikhats of all levels will be held in Kazakhstan on March 19. There are 283 candidates on party lists for deputies to the Mazhilis. All seven registered parties are running for seats in the lower chamber. The highest number of candidates was nominated by the Amanat power party, with 90 candidates. The Aq Jol party had the following number of candidates - 54; People's Party of Kazakhstan - 52; Auyl and Respublica - 25 each; PSDP - 19; and Baitak party - 18 candidates.
In 29 majoritarian single-mandate constituencies, 609 candidates were nominated. Of these, 79 candidates were nominated by parties, five candidates were nominated by four public associations, and 525 candidates were self-nominated.
Almost 12,000 candidates have been nominated to the maslikhats of all levels. In total there are 223 maslikhats of all levels in the country and 3,415 mandates.
Intra-party NPC battles
Almost immediately after the announcement of elections to Mazhilis and maslikhats by the President of the Republic, the People's Party of Kazakhstan started to leave the party. Four out of ten members of the MPK parliamentary group - Yerlan Smailov, Gaziz Kulakhmetov, Zhambyl Akhmetbekov and Aizhan Skakova announced their departure.
The parliamentarians explained their decision by the fact that they no longer share the values, professionalism and ideology of the party leadership. In his turn, Yermukhamet Yertysbayev said that he planned to get rid of the aforementioned parliament members himself, but when he learned about the upcoming elections, he didn't do that.
"These deputies disagreed with my position. They started giving interviews right after the congress last fall. They saw that their position was being lost, they were not on the party list. Therefore, they began to make false throw-ins," said Yermukhamet Yertysbaev, commenting on the departure of the deputies.
Later it became known that deputy Aizhan Skakova joined the green party Baitak.
In the upcoming elections to the Majilis there are 52 candidates from the People's Party of Kazakhstan, including the leader himself, Yermukhamet Yertysbayev.
Campaigning in a disco bar and loud statements of Aq Jol
Aq Jol business party received discussion in Kaznet even before the announcement of the parliamentary elections. Former deputy from the party Azamat Abildaev gave an interview in which he openly supported Russian President Vladimir Putin and his position in the war with Ukraine. The next day he was expelled from the party. After the elections were announced, Abildaev announced that he would take part in the election race as a self-nominee.
On February 1, Akzholov held an extraordinary congress of the party and once again gave the Kazakhs something to discuss. Party leader Azat Peruashev said that he sees the future of Kazakhstan in the European Union. The Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan noted that the republic is developing partnerships with all countries of the world. The question of Kazakhstan joining the new associations is not on the diplomatic agenda.
Since the start of the campaign Azat Peruashev again gave reason for discussion to Kaznet users. In social networks people began to write that for the meeting with the population of Temirtau the party of entrepreneurs chose a striptease club. Later it turned out that this was a local disco bar, which periodically hosts performances by local dancers.
Amanat's false start and the Turlykhanov family scandal
The majority party Amanat did not do without loud headlines either. Before the beginning of the permitted campaign, namely at 18:00 on 18 February, the party's banners began to appear in the regions. Members of other political associations did not hurry to tell about it in social networks.
Amanat responded that there was no command from the party to campaign earlier than the others. And it was a technical mistake of the executors. On the same day, the party made a statement that it would sue Karaganda advertising companies for premature placement of the party's campaign banners for the elections to the Mazhilis and Maslikhats.
A separate discussion, about which almost all republican publications wrote, happened with Daulet Turlykhanov, a candidate for deputy to the Mazhilis from Amanat. To be more exact, with his son - Nurasyl Bolat. On the night of February 10 to 11 there was a street fight in Almaty. Kazakhstani lawyer Anna Dimitrievich told in her Instagram account that she and her husband Oleg Chernov were attacked. In the attacker, Kazakhstani lawyers recognized the son of the honored coach of Kazakhstan Daulet Turlykhanov. After the resonance in social networks, a criminal case was opened against the son of a candidate for deputy to the Mazhilis.
The honored coach condemned his son's behavior and assured that he is not going to interfere into the process, as his son is an adult and he should answer for his actions by himself.
How the agitation campaign is going on
There was also some news on the front of election campaign among deputies of maslikhat. A heated argument flared up among the capital candidates for the maslikhats. The future people's deputies began to complain about their competitors that they took and sometimes pasted their slogans and programs on top of the already pasted up booklets.
Moreover, Aida Jeksenova, a candidate for deputy of maslikhat, stated that her opponent Moldir Akylbekova asked the head of Lazurniy Kvartal’s apartments owners cooperative to remove all candidates' campaign materials except for her from the information stand.
Elections to Majilis and maslikhats of all levels will be held in Kazakhstan on March 19. There are 283 candidates on party lists for deputies to the Mazhilis. All seven registered parties are running for seats in the lower chamber. The highest number of candidates was nominated by the Amanat power party, with 90 candidates. The Aq Jol party had the following number of candidates - 54; People's Party of Kazakhstan - 52; Auyl and Respublica - 25 each; PSDP - 19; and Baitak party - 18 candidates.
In 29 majoritarian single-mandate constituencies, 609 candidates were nominated. Of these, 79 candidates were nominated by parties, five candidates were nominated by four public associations, and 525 candidates were self-nominated.
Almost 12,000 candidates have been nominated to the maslikhats of all levels. In total there are 223 maslikhats of all levels in the country and 3,415 mandates.
Source: kursiv.media
