Nearly 12 million voters are called to the polls this Sunday, November 20 in Kazakhstan to elect their president. Despite an ambitious program of political and judicial reforms, the big favorite in this election is current President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who seems determined to consolidate his hold on power.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the protege of the undisputed former master Nursultan Nazarbayev, was elected in 2019 by winning a landslide victory with more than 70% of the vote. This Sunday, he is seeking a second term and the question will be whether he will succeed in reaching the stratospheric scores of his predecessor of around 98%.
The absence of a real opponent in an election presented as a farce by the few opponents makes this scenario credible. Already in 2019, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had deemed the elections neither free nor fair. This time, international election observers from the OSCE regretted in a report that their recommendations ” relating to fundamental freedoms and the conditions of eligibility and registration of candidates “be” remained without follow-up “.
” shoot to kill »
Last winter, during demonstrations that turned into riots, causing the death of 230 people, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev reinforced the police apparatus and gave the order to ” shoot to kill “. Fearing instability, the power proceeded to waves of arrests. The latest, last Thursday, when seven people accused of fomenting a coup were taken into custody.
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The 69-year-old president has promised to build a fairer and less corrupt country. To this end, he has purged the clan of its influential and cumbersome predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayevfinally consolidating his place, more than three years after he came to power in 2019. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev did not allow the slightest opposition to emerge, and the some 12 million voters called to vote will have the choice between him and five candidates without notoriety.
Challenge of social inequalities
But the greatest challenge for the current president, who presents himself as a reformer, the only one capable of uniting the Nation, will be to reduce the deep social inequalities which risk plunging into chaos, this country rich in hydrocarbons and so far considered stable.
This early election comes after the adoption last June of constitutional reforms supposed to close the era of Nazarbayev, the historic leader who has dominated the country unchallenged since the fall of the USSR. They provide a better balance between powers executive, legislative and judicial, and the transformation of the presidential mandate into a non-renewable seven-year term against 5 years renewable twice previously.
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(With AFP)