Presidential elections are a kind of watershed between the design, institutionalized embodiment of political reforms (culminating in a referendum and 30% renewal of the Constitution) and their practical implementation with an impact on the economic and social status of Kazakhstanis. If elected, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will not only gain trust of citizens, the new presidential mandate will become a sui generis updated “social contract” – the authorities will have time to implement the announced reforms.

Against the backdrop of the tense international situation, Kazakhstan has charted a course of stable social and economic development with the strengthening of the role of institutions of electoral democracy and civil society.

Announcing the upcoming electoral processes, the Head of State began restarting the national political system. Parliamentary and all-level maslikhat elections are scheduled for the next year. The growth of civic engagement is already noticeable; Kazakhstanis have become interested in politics. With the emergence of new political parties, our supreme legislative body will finally become a “place for discussions.” A new majority-proportional system will contribute to the qualitative renewal of the composition of the parliament.

As political historians say: it is not states that matter, but trends. Since 2019, Kazakhstan has been ridden the wave of reforms. Successful reform implementation will enable us to achieve the main tasks facing our country – the consolidation of society and stepping a new track of qualitative and structural economic changes.

Aliya Mussabekova, Senior Research fellow of KazISS under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan