Kazakhstan will hold its first elections to new Unicameral Qurultay

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has described the upcoming elections to Kazakhstan’s new unicameral Qurultay as a “truly historic event” for the country.

In an address to the nation on August 21, Tokayev said the elections, scheduled for August 23, 2026, represent the beginning of a new phase of political reforms following the entry into force of Kazakhstan’s new People’s Constitution.

According to the Central Election Commission, 12,605,788 voters have been registered to participate. Kazakhstanis will elect 145 deputies to five-year terms, with candidate lists submitted by seven political parties.

Tokayev said the election campaign had been open, competitive and substantive, with political parties presenting their programmes through meetings with voters, media campaigns, televised debates and social media discussions.

He emphasized that voters now have the opportunity to compare the parties’ visions for Kazakhstan’s future and their proposals for the country’s economic, social and cultural development.

The president said the elections would open “a new chapter” in the history of modern Kazakhstan and contribute to the country’s ongoing reform process.