15 Jan in 2:01
EurActiv
Alberto Turkstra, an expert at European Institute for Asian Studies, who visited Kazakhstan during its parliamentary election on 10 January, found out that step-by-step democratisation has suited Kazakhstan’s national circumstances and interests well. In the article
Step-by-step democratisation serves Kazakhstan well for Euractiv he writes, that despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and severe weather conditions, Kazakhstan successfully organised its legislative elections in strict observance of all sanitary requirements.
The first parliamentary elections since President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev came to power, they represented an important occasion to elect a new parliament which will help guide the future direction and further reforms of the country in all spheres. Local elections (maslikhats) were held concurrently and incorporated for the first time an important innovation as they were held based on party lists (as opposed to the single-member system). In party list systems, seats in parliament more proportionally match the number of votes each party receives, a move that President Tokayev says will “enable parties to strengthen their position in the country’s political system”.