Notwithstanding the government’s stated ambition to strengthen Kazakhstan’s democratic processes and conduct elections in line with international standards, yesterday’s early parliamentary vote still did not meet fundamental principles of democratic elections, international observers concluded in a statement issued today.

The elections were well administered at the technical level and the observers noted legal changes aimed at ensuring representation of at least a second party in parliament, but the authorities did not provide the necessary conditions for the conduct of genuinely pluralistic elections. Several political parties were blocked from standing and a number of candidates were de-registered without due process.

“These elections proved to be a move in the right direction,” said Elsa Papadimitriou (Greece, EPP/CD), the Head of the Delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Assembly (PACE). (more...)