Astana, Kazakhstan – Oil-rich Kazakhstan held parliamentary elections Saturday in an early vote widely considered an attempt by the president to improve the ex-Soviet republic’s democratic image while retaining his grip on power.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has assessed previous elections in post-Soviet Kazakhstan as being less than free and fair. But President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who wants to see his country win the chairmanship of the OSCE in 2009, has pledged to “do everything to make the elections free and fair” this time.
Two exit polls indicated that Nazarbayev’s Nur Otan party had won 80 percent to 83 percent of the vote, while the main opposition group – the National Social Democratic Party – received less than 6 percent. It had been seen as the only opposition force likely to get into parliament.
One exit poll showed the moderate opposition party Ak Zhol narrowly clearing the 7 percent barrier, while the other poll indicated it would fall just short.
Voters were choosing 98 members of the lower house of parliament in the election, which Nazarbayev had called two years early after a series of constitutional changes. All the seats are to be chosen on a party-list basis, distributed proportionately to parties that get more than 7 percent of the vote. Previously, only 10 seats were chosen on a party basis.
It was not clear when results would be announced.
