Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol
Encyclopedia
Bright Path or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Bright Path (Ak Zhol or Qazaqstan Demokratiyalyk Partiyasi Ak Zhol) is a political party
in Kazakhstan
.
Movement founded Ak Zhol
in March 2002. In November 2001 anti-Nazarbayev activists founded the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan. The radical stance of the movement was dissented by a group of moderate members who split from the movement in the spring of 2002 to form the new and rather moderate party which advocate a pro-reform, pro-business party line.
The party differs from Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan in that Ak Zhol leaders refrain from openly confronting Nursultan Nazarbayev. Ak Zhol was founded by Oraz Zhandosov, Bulat Abilov
and Alikhan Baimenov. Later, the ex-information minister Altynbek Sarsenbaev
joined the party.
on 4 December 2005 Ak Zhol did not join the coalition of opposition forces For a Just Kazakhstan and nominated Alikhan Baimenov, the chair, as the party candidate. Baimenov won 1.61 % of the popular vote. One of the party leaders who later joined the Naghyz Ak Zhol party, Altynbek Sarsenbaev
, was killed near Almaty in February 2006 soon after the presidential elections.
In the 18 August 2007 Assembly
elections
, the party won 3.27 % of the popular vote and no seats. All seats were won by the ruling Nur-Otan
party.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
.
Origin
A dissident group in the Democratic Choice of KazakhstanDemocratic Choice of Kazakhstan
Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan was a political party in Kazakhstan. It was disbanded in February 2005 before the presidential elections.-Origin:...
Movement founded Ak Zhol
Ak Zhol
Ak Zhol can refer to:* Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol* Ak Jol, a political party in Kyrgyzstan...
in March 2002. In November 2001 anti-Nazarbayev activists founded the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan. The radical stance of the movement was dissented by a group of moderate members who split from the movement in the spring of 2002 to form the new and rather moderate party which advocate a pro-reform, pro-business party line.
The party differs from Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan in that Ak Zhol leaders refrain from openly confronting Nursultan Nazarbayev. Ak Zhol was founded by Oraz Zhandosov, Bulat Abilov
Bulat Abilov
Bulat Abilov was the Deputy Chairman of the Otan political party in Kazakhstan. He achieved this position following the death of Parliamentary Speaker and Deputy Chairman Marat Ospanov.- External links :* *...
and Alikhan Baimenov. Later, the ex-information minister Altynbek Sarsenbaev
Altynbek Sarsenbaev
Altynbek Sarsenbayuly served in the Government of Kazakhstan before becoming a political opposition leader. At the time of his death, he served as co-chairman of the opposition Naghyz Ak Zhol party....
joined the party.
Development
Ak Zhol received 12 % of the votes at the last legislative elections in September 2004. Alikhan Baimenov refused to accept the only seat the party received at the 77 member Majlis until October 2006 when he reversed his position and joined parliament as the only deputy of an opposition party. The party advocated democratization of the political system, particularly elections of governors (akims) at all levels of the administrative system.Fragmentation
In the spring of 2005, Sarsenbaev, Abilov and Zhandosov split from the party to form a dissident faction named Naghyz Ak Zhol (True Bright Path). At the last presidential electionsKazakhstan presidential election, 2005
Kazakhstan held a presidential election on 4 December 2005. Incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbayev, in power since 1989, sought and won another seven-year term against four other candidates. Opposition candidates were allowed some access to the mass media, but this was still restricted...
on 4 December 2005 Ak Zhol did not join the coalition of opposition forces For a Just Kazakhstan and nominated Alikhan Baimenov, the chair, as the party candidate. Baimenov won 1.61 % of the popular vote. One of the party leaders who later joined the Naghyz Ak Zhol party, Altynbek Sarsenbaev
Altynbek Sarsenbaev
Altynbek Sarsenbayuly served in the Government of Kazakhstan before becoming a political opposition leader. At the time of his death, he served as co-chairman of the opposition Naghyz Ak Zhol party....
, was killed near Almaty in February 2006 soon after the presidential elections.
In the 18 August 2007 Assembly
Majilis
The Majilis is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Kazakhstan, known as the Parlamenti, in the Government of Kazakhstan. The upper house of Parliament is the Senate of Kazakhstan. There are 77 seats, 67 in single seat constituencies and 10 by proportional representation, in the Majilis...
elections
Kazakhstani legislative election, 2007
A parliamentary election was held in Kazakhstan on 18 August 2007. 107 seats were at stake in the Majilis, an increase of 30, following recently passed constitutional amendments. Under the changes, 98 deputies were elected by party lists, an increase from just 10 in the last legislature. The...
, the party won 3.27 % of the popular vote and no seats. All seats were won by the ruling Nur-Otan
Nur-Otan
Nur Otan is the largest political party in Kazakhstan with over 762,000 members. Since 2007 it is headed by President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev Nazarbayev's predecessor in the party was Bakhytzhan Zhumagulov.The party's predecessor, Otan was originally established on February 12, 1999...
party.