Kazakhstan’s election campaign enters dynamic phase
By the end of the first week of campaigning, parties in Kazakhstan have shifted from presenting programs to more active competition for voter attention, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The Adilet Party held a series of public events in Turkistan, including meetings with entrepreneurs, farmers and professionals, followed by an open‑air concert and drone show. Issues related to physical culture and sports were also raised during the meetings,
The Nationwide Social Democratic Party focused on expert discussions and became one of the first to openly criticize rivals’ programs. At a roundtable meeting, members questioned certain proposals and criticized the inclusion of bloggers and entertainers in party lists. The party also launched a nationwide Nordic walking campaign to be continued in the regions.
The Baytaq Green Party keeps building its campaign around environmental issues, organizing a marathon and an expert forum on protected areas, biodiversity and environmental legislation.
The People’s Party of Kazakhstan (PPK) criticized several proposals from rival parties during meetings with labor collectives. In particular, representatives opposed initiatives to abolish state regulation of prices for food staples and also criticized parts of the Nationwide Social Democratic Party’s program on social policy.
The Auyl Party emphasized traditional values and direct dialogue with citizens. After opening its national headquarters, it began setting up branded yurts in the regions and actively used live social media broadcasts to answer questions and debate rivals, criticizing party lists and personnel policies.
One of the most notable elements of the third day of the campaign was the discussions between the Ak Zhol Party and Respublica parties.
Ak Zhol representatives questioned whether certain points in Respublica’s program matched the actions of its members, pointing to contradictions between declared principles and the public image of some party figures.
In response, Respublica criticized Ak Zhol’s industrial policy proposals, calling them underdeveloped and prone to corruption risks, while presenting its own vision for strengthening domestic production.
Earlier, the Central Election Commission has conducted a draw to determine the placement of political parties on the ballot for the Qurultay (Parliament) elections.
The number of international observers for the upcoming Qurultay elections has reached 96.
On July 1, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev decreed that elections to the Qurultay of the Republic of Kazakhstan would be held on August 23, 2026. The Central Election Commission approved the calendar plan for the preparation and conduct of the elections, as well as the list of political parties eligible to participate in the elections.