Overview
- Kazakhstan held the first election for the new single‑chamber Kurultai created by a March constitutional reform that abolished the Senate and set the chamber at 145 seats.
- Only seven government‑approved parties were allowed on the ballot and the newly formed pro‑presidential party Adilet — created after the June merger of Amanat into Adilet — was widely seen as the favorite to win a large majority.
- Human Rights Watch and other critics warned the constitutional changes and pre‑referendum actions curtailed freedoms, and reports say authorities summoned or briefly detained people who publicly criticized the reforms online.
- The new constitution reset presidential term limits, making President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev technically eligible to run again in 2029 though he has publicly said he will not seek another term.
- The outcome matters beyond domestic politics because Kazakhstan’s vast energy resources and close ties with Russia and China make its stability and political direction important to regional partners and the European Union.