ASTANA, August 21. /Dunyo IA/. Kazakhstan will hold its first elections for the Kurultai, the country’s new unicameral parliament, on August 23. The new legislature is being formed following the entry into force of the new Constitution on July 1, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

The previous Senate and Mazhilis have ceased to exist, while the new legislative body will consist of 145 deputies elected for five-year terms. A total of 545 candidates from seven parties are competing for the 145 seats, averaging almost four candidates per seat. The largest list belongs to the Adilet party with 186 candidates, followed by Respublica with 75, the People’s Party of Kazakhstan with 72, Auyl with 69, Ak Zhol with 63, Baytak with 47 and the OSDP with 33.

Voters will not choose individual candidates. All 145 deputies will be elected through party lists in a single nationwide electoral district. Parties must secure at least 5 percent of the vote to enter the Kurultai.

The candidate pool includes 172 women, 74 people under the age of 35 and 19 people with disabilities. The average age of candidates is 45.4 years. The lists include entrepreneurs, former deputies, civil servants, academics, doctors, teachers, athletes and representatives of civil society.

A total of 12.7 million ballots have been produced for the election. Most polling stations will operate from 07:00 to 20:00 local time. Outside Kazakhstan, 79 polling stations will open in 61 countries, including Uzbekistan. More than 12.6 million citizens are registered to vote.

The elections are expected to complete Kazakhstan’s transition to an updated political system, while the country will retain its presidential form of government. According to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the new parliament is expected to work more efficiently, involve experts more actively and respond more quickly to challenges related to digitalization and the development of artificial intelligence.

The August 23 vote will therefore mark not simply another parliamentary election, but the formation of Kazakhstan’s first legislature under the country’s new constitutional framework.