Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree on October 12 terminating the powers of maslikhats, the country’s local representative assemblies. Snap elections must now be held by December 12.
The move follows a decision in June 2026 to merge the Amanat party into the newly established pro-presidential Adilet party, which won August’s parliamentary elections. Most incumbent local deputies, however, were elected in 2023 under the Amanat banner, raising questions about their mandates as the party is absorbed into Adilet.
Why Questions About Legitimacy Arose
Tokayev first raised the prospect of early elections on September 24, speaking at the inaugural session of the Halyq Kenesi, or People’s Council of Kazakhstan.
“The overwhelming majority of maslikhat deputies were elected from the Amanat party. That party no longer operates independently, having merged with the Adilet party,” Tokayev explained.
He said the merger would soon raise questions about the legitimacy of much of the country’s local representative bodies once the legal procedures were completed.
Under Kazakh law, deputies can lose their seats if the party through which they were elected ceases to exist. However, the decision to merge the parties did not, by itself, end their mandates.
From Nur Otan to Adilet
Amanat was previously known as Nur Otan and had been the main political support base of Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Founded in 1999, the party underwent several name changes. The most recent came in March 2022, following the January unrest, when mass protests escalated into the largest political crisis in Kazakhstan’s post-independence history.
Amanat voted on June 12 to join Adilet, which approved the merger two days later. The new organization inherited its regional branches, administrative apparatus, and extensive network of activists. Adilet itself had been registered only on June 1, just weeks before the merger.
Adilet was headed by Aibek Dadebay, who had previously led President Tokayev’s administration. Following the August parliamentary elections, he became chairman of the Kurultai, Kazakhstan’s new unicameral parliament.
In the August 23 elections, Adilet won 71.17% of the vote and 110 of the 145 parliamentary seats. Four other parties crossed the 5% electoral threshold but secured only 35 seats between them.
Maslikhats and the New Parliamentary System
Maslikhats are elected at the regional, city, and district levels. They approve local budgets, review territorial development programs, and hear reports from executive officials. In cases provided for by law, deputies may initiate a vote of no confidence in an akim, the head of a local administration.
Kazakhstan, however, remains a unitary state with a strong presidential chain of command. The heads of regions and major cities are appointed by the president.
Following constitutional reform, the Senate and Mazhilis were replaced by the unicameral Kurultai. On October 7, its deputies voted to establish a Council for Cooperation with Maslikhats.
According to deputy Amirbek Ospanbekov, local representative bodies work directly with residents, understand regional conditions, and encounter the practical consequences of laws passed by parliament.
The council is expected to involve maslikhat representatives in drafting legislation and gathering information about how laws are implemented locally.
The decision was made five days before the maslikhats were dissolved. Parliament will now have to establish working relationships with the newly elected local assemblies.
How Many Deputies Will Serve in the New Maslikhats?
On October 2, the Central Election Commission revised the rules for determining the number of maslikhat deputies. The resolution took effect on October 7.
The number of seats depends on the population of each region. Astana, Almaty, and Shymkent must have at least 30 deputies if their populations do not exceed 1.1 million. Two additional seats are allocated for every additional 200,000 residents.
Regional maslikhats must have at least 26 deputies in regions with populations of up to 300,000. As the population increases, the number of seats also rises by two for every additional 200,000 residents.
Elections Could Take Place on December 6
On October 12, Tokayev held the promised consultations with Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Kurultai Chairman Aibek Dadebay.
The consultations were required under the Constitution before the president could dissolve the assemblies.
The official election date has not yet been announced. Political analyst Andrey Chebotarev wrote that the elections “will most likely take place on Sunday, December 6,” since the legal deadline of December 12 falls on a Saturday.
The final decision rests with the Central Election Commission.
Adilet now enters the local elections with a significant advantage: the extensive regional network it inherited from Amanat. Whether the composition of the maslikhats will change significantly remains to be seen.