Two days after departure his position in the presidential administrationAibek Dadebay was elected president of a new political party in Kazakhstan: Adilet.
In mid-April, the formation of Adilet was announced by diverse group of professionals, from NGO leaders to political scientists to business figures. Their stated intention is to “consolidate the efforts of all responsible citizens to build and strengthen a just state with a strong economy, broad prospects for all and a credible position for our country in the global community.”
A “just state” is an aspect of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s “politics”.Just Kazakhstan» framing, itself coupled with the pitch of the “New Kazakhstan” outlined in the aftermath of the events of January 2022 and the constitutional referendum that year.
In his Second inauguration speech of November 2022Tokayev said: “Now our common goal is to build a just Kazakhstan, where law and order are observed, and the rights of citizens are duly respected. »
Dadebay, now head of Adilet, led the presidential administration until May 5, a position to which he was appointed in February 2024 after two years as Tokayev’s chief of staff.
It is therefore not surprising that the emerging form of Adilet is not an opposition but one more pro-presidential party as the country heads towards legislative elections in 2019. August.
Kazakhstan Constitutional referendum of March 15 made considerable changes to much of the country’s basic law. Among these changes was the replacement of the bicameral parliament with a unicameral legislature, the Kurultai. The Kurultai – which takes its name from an ancient high-level gathering of political and military leaders common across the Eurasian Turko-Mongol world – will have 145 deputies elected proportionally via a party list for five-year terms.
Currently, Kazakhstan has seven officially registered political parties: Amanat, Auyl, Respublica, Ak Zhol, the People’s Party of Kazakhstan (PPK), the National Social Democratic Party (JSDP), and Baytaq, a green party. All except Baytaq have representatives in the outgoing parliament, but Amanat – formerly named Nur Otan – holds an overwhelming majority with 62 of 98 seats in the Majilis, the lower house.
Tokayev resigned as president of Amanat in April 2022, calling it a symbolic move. He ran as a technically independent candidate in the November 2022 presidential election, supported by the “People’s Coalition”, which included Amanat, Ak Zhol and the PPK.
Despite the reduction in technical obstacles to party registration since 2019, many potential opposition parties have had difficulty obtaining registration. These range from Mukhtar Ablyazovthe Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK), declared an “extremist” group in March 2018has Oyan, Qazaqstanborn from a surge of civic activity and a brief flash of hope following the resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev from the presidency in March 2019.
On numerous occasions over the years, activists affiliated with unregistered political parties have found themselves uneasy on their way to gathering, a necessary step in organizing a political party. Sometimes it’s worse. In February 2022, Zhanbolat Mamai – the leader of the unregistered Democratic Party – was arrested and sentenced in April 2023 for orchestrating “mass riots” during the 2022 protests. Instead of a prison sentence, he was subjected to a sentence widespread ban on social and political activities.
Between May 2022 and July 2023, the Alga Kazakhstan party was refused registration 16 times.
Earlier this year, Meiram Kazhyken, leader of the unregistered political party YNTYMAQ, wrote an appeal to Tokayev after his efforts to register were twice rejected.
Article 23 of the Kazakh Constitution guarantees citizens the right to freedom of association. “However, in practice we have been faced with a situation in which this right has become practically inaccessible,” Kazhyken wrote in January.
“Without the real possibility of registering parties and associations, Kazakhstan risks remaining among countries with limited freedoms and public confidence in reforms will decrease. »
These experiences stand in stark contrast to the fluid path Adilet seems to be following. His party congress on May 7 went off without a hitch and it seems likely that he will soon get the recording. Rauan Kenzhekhanuly, president of the “Kazakh Tili” company and member of the political council of Adilet, framed the founding of the party as “Guided by the need to implement the tasks set by the President of our country to build and strengthen a just Kazakhstan.”
What value does a new political party bring if its primary goal is to repeat the agenda of the current president?