Kazakhstani legislative election, 2007

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Parliamentary elections were held in Kazakhstan on 18 August 2007. President Nursultan Nazarbayev's Nur Otan party received 88% of the vote and won all of the available seats. None of the six other parties contesting the election passed the 7% threshold to win seats.[1][2]

Electoral system

A total of 107 seats were at stake in the Majilis, an increase of 30, following constitutional amendments earlier in the year.[3] Under the changes, 98 deputies were elected by party lists, an increase from just 10 in the previous parliament. The remaining nine seats were reserved for members elected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan.[4]

Conduct

The election was described on state television as "a real step towards democracy",[2] although the opposition Nationwide Social Democratic Party, which received almost 5% of the vote, denounced the election,[1][2] and Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe observers said the election showed some progress, but was also marred by problems, saying that "in over 40 percent of the polling stations visited, [vote counting] was described as bad or very bad", which was worse than in the last parliamentary and presidential elections.[1] Bias in the state media was also considered a problem.[2]

Results

Party Votes % Seats +/–
Nur Otan5,247,72088.498+41
Nationwide Social Democratic Party269,3104.50New
Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol183,3463.10–1
Kazakhstani Social Democratic Party Auyl89,8551.500
Communist People's Party76,7991.30New
Party of Patriots46,4360.800
Rukhaniyat Party22,1590.400
Invalid/blank votes146,805
Total6,082,430100980
Registered voters/turnout8,891,56168.4
Source: Adam Carr, IPU

References

External links