Kazakhstan to hold first vote for new parliament on August 23

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has set 23 August as the date for the country's first parliamentary elections under its new constitution, marking a key step in the implementation of sweeping political reforms.

A presidential decree published on Wednesday (July 1) scheduled elections to the newly established Kurultai, Kazakhstan's unicameral parliament, created following the entry into force of the new constitution.

"I hereby decree that elections of deputies to the Kurultai of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall be held on 23 August 2026," the decree said.

The decree also instructed Kazakhstan's Central Election Commission to organise and oversee the vote, while the government and regional authorities were tasked with providing the logistical and material support needed for the election.

The order took effect immediately upon its publication.

The election will be the first for the new legislature since Kazakhstan adopted its new constitutional framework, replacing the previous parliamentary structure as part of the country's political overhaul.

By Aghakazim Guliyev