Political party system

Political parties in Kazakhstan are far from being key actors in the political decision making, while the political system itself is of illusionary nature. Parties are not able to fully exercise their functions, which include: ensuring political integration and mobilization of people; aggregation of diverse social interests; political recruitment of elite; formulation of principal political guidelines.

Currently there are 11 political parties officially registered in Kazakhstan:

OTAN (“FATHERLAND”) REPUBLICAN POLITICAL PARTY - www.otan.kz

AK ZHOL (“BRIGHT PATH”) DEMOCRATIC PARTY - www.dpkakzhol.kz

CIVIC PARTY OF KAZAKHSTAN

AGRARIAN PARTY OF KAZAKHSTAN

COMMUNIST PARTY OF KAZAKHSTAN - http://compartykz.info

PATRIOTS’ PARTY

AUYL PEASANTS SOCIAL AND DEMOCRATIC PARTY

RUKHANIYAT

ASAR (“ALL TOGETHER”) REPUBLICAN POLITICAL PARTY - www.asar.kz

DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF KAZAKHSTAN - www.dpk.kz

COMMUNIST PEOPLE’S PARTY OF KAZAKHSTAN

On September 10, 2006 Almaty hosted the founding convention of the new opposition political party National Social and Democratic Party. Leader of the For Fair Kazakhstan movement Zharmakhan Tuyakbay was elected as the head of the new party.

On July 4, 2007, ahead of the early elections to Majilis of the 4th convocation, Nursultan Nazarbayev headed the Nur Otan party. The presidential party carried out the election, which that took place on August 18, 2007, with 88,05% of votes. All the other parties failed to pass the 7-percent threshold. The one-party Majilis was formed in Kazakhstan.