The newly formed Adilet party, which supports President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, won a large majority in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election on Sunday. Exit polls published by state media indicated the party received between 70% and 72% of the vote.
The election followed the adoption of a new constitution earlier this year that changed the structure of the national legislature from a two-chamber body to a single chamber. Adilet was established earlier this year by aides to President Tokayev and absorbed the former long-ruling Amanat party.
According to three different exit polls, voter turnout exceeded 74%. While four small opposition parties reportedly won seats in the new parliament, these groups are widely considered to be loyal to President Tokayev. Following the vote, Tokayev stated he would announce his choice for the newly created office of vice president within seven to 10 days.
President Tokayev has led Kazakhstan since 2019, having initially served as the chosen successor to the country’s founding president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. In 2022, Tokayev broke with his predecessor following a period of unrest that he described as an attempted coup by allies of Nazarbayev. The Supreme Court ruled last month that the new constitution permits Tokayev to run for another seven-year term, though the president told journalists on Sunday it was too early to confirm if he would do so.
The scale of this shift is reflected in the high reported turnout of 74%, indicating broad participation in a process that transforms the national legislature into a single-chamber body. While Kazakhstan is a major exporter of energy and minerals, the immediate day-to-day impact for residents will be felt through the implementation of the new constitution. This includes the introduction of a vice presidential role—an office that did not previously exist—with an appointee expected to be named by early September.
This election sets a precedent for how the new constitution will function in practice, particularly regarding presidential term limits and executive appointments. The win for the pro-government party suggests a continuation of Tokayev’s foreign policy approach, which maintains relations with the West, Russia, and China. Next, the president is scheduled to announce his choice for vice president by approximately September 2, 2026. Official results from the election commission will follow the exit polls to confirm the final seat distribution in the new single-chamber parliament.