ASTANA, Kazakhstan, August 23. Elections for members of Kazakhstan’s Kurultai have begun, TurkicWorld’s special correspondent reports from Astana.
The Kurultai will consist of 145 deputies elected for a five-year term. The elections are being held under a proportional representation system, with deputies elected from party lists in a single nationwide electoral district.
According to Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission, 12,605,788 people are registered on the country’s voter lists. A total of 10,423 polling stations have been prepared for the vote, including 79 polling stations in 61 countries abroad.
Seven political parties are participating in the elections: Adilet, the Nationwide Social Democratic Party, the Baytaq Green Party of Kazakhstan, the People’s Party of Kazakhstan, Auyl, the Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan, and Respublica.
International experts are monitoring the voting process. A total of 777 international observers from 42 countries have been registered to monitor the elections. In addition, representatives of 13 international organizations are taking part in observer missions.
Kazakhstan’s new Constitution, which entered into force on July 1, 2026, provides for a unicameral parliament — the Kurultai — replacing the former bicameral Parliament consisting of the Mazhilis and the Senate.
