Kazakhs have commenced voting in an election aimed at consolidating the president’s authority

Kazakhs commenced voting on Sunday in a snap parliamentary election that appeared poised to bolster President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s authority over the Central Asian nation, a significant exporter of energy and minerals.

The election was prompted by the implementation of a new constitution earlier this year, which consolidates parliament from two chambers into one. Kazakhstan’s supreme court announced last month that the new constitution permits Tokayev, who assumed office in 2019, to seek a new seven-year term.

Opinion polls indicate a significant majority in favor of Adilet, a pro-Tokayev party established just months ago, which has absorbed the previous ruling party, Amanat, which had been a dominant force in Kazakh politics since the 1990s.

Several opposition parties, perceived as generally supportive of Tokayev, are also participating in the election.

While voting in the capital, Astana, Tokayev informed journalists that it was premature to determine if he would pursue another term in office.

Tokayev was the selected successor of Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. He distanced himself from his predecessor following a 2022 episode of unrest that he has characterized as a coup attempt by allies of Nazarbayev.