Kazakh President Tokayev wins re-election

The current Kazakh President, Kassim-Jomart Tokayev, came out on top in Sunday’s snap elections, winning 81.31 percent of the vote, Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) said on Monday, citing preliminary data.

According to Helló Magyar, the electoral commission has confirmed the overwhelming victory of the People’s Coalition candidate. The results, based on preliminary data, are as follows:

K. Tokayev – 81,31 %
Zh. Dayrabaev – 3,42 %
K. Abden – 2,6 %
M. Kazhyken – 2,53 %
N. Auesbaev – 2.22 %
S. Tursynbekova – 2.12%

Source: The Astana Times

“Historic day”

“Today is a very important, historic day. We are voting for the bright future of our country. This year has not been easy, but our people have united and overcome all difficulties. We now face very ambitious goals and tasks. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Political reforms are underway,”

Tokayev said on election day.

The country is undergoing political reforms and the next parliamentary elections will be the freest in the country’s history:

“We have talked about new parties being registered. This process is ongoing… I believe that before the parliamentary elections, some parties will be able to meet the necessary conditions and will be registered. I believe that this is in our interest,” Tokayev said, noting that if elected, he would announce the date for parliamentary elections at the end of the year, The Astana Times reports.

He also spoke about foreign policy, saying that while he was Russia’s ally in many cases, President Tokayev repeatedly condemned Russia’s aggression in the war in Ukraine and called on the Russian president to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Yesterday, he said that, given Kazakhstan’s complex geostrategic situation, foreign policy should have taken into account the fact that its economy attracted more than $300 billion in foreign direct investment and that the world’s largest multinationals operated in its market

“I have often said that Kazakhstan must be committed to the UN Charter and pursue a peaceful foreign policy,”

added Tokayev.

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Source: Helló Magyar, The Astana Times