Pro-presidential party leads exit polls in Kazakhstan elections

Kazakhstan's ruling party, "Adilet," is projected to win the parliamentary elections by a significant margin, according to preliminary results from three exit polls. The party, which absorbed the previous ruling party "Amanat," is estimated to have secured between 70.7% and 72.3% of the vote. This strong showing indicates a continuation of the current political landscape in the Central Asian nation.

While "Adilet" appears set for a dominant victory, four other parties are vying to cross the 5% threshold required to gain seats in the new unicameral parliament, the Kurultai. These include the Nationwide Social Democratic Party (OSDP), the People's Democratic Patriotic Party "Auyl," the Democratic Party of Kazakhstan "Ak Zhol," and the Respublica party. Their success in surpassing the electoral threshold remains a key point of interest following the "Adilet" party's anticipated landslide.

The elections saw a high voter turnout of 74.19%, with more than 9.35 million citizens casting their ballots. This participation rate surpassed that of the constitutional referendum held earlier in the year. The new constitution, which came into effect on July 1, establishes a unicameral parliament, the Kurultai, whose members will serve five-year terms. A significant constitutional change also involves the reintroduction of a vice-president role, to be appointed by the president with parliamentary consent within two months of the Kurultai's first session – a position abolished in 1996.

Experts widely anticipate that the election outcome was largely predetermined, favoring the incumbent "Adilet" party. The Central Election Commission is expected to release preliminary official results following a briefing. The focus now shifts to the formation of the new government under the revised constitutional framework.

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Preliminary voting results will be announced at a briefing by the Central Election Commission, which we will report on additionally.