What Crucial Central Asian Elections Mean for Biden s Eurasian Policy | Opinion Ariel Cohen and David Pasmanik On 1/15/21 at 1:55 PM EST
As the Biden administration is looking to manage China and Russia, and finalize the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the strategic Central Asia remains at the heart of a comprehensive U.S. Eurasian foreign policy. The dual elections in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan offer crucial insights as to how incoming Secretary of State, Tony Blinken, should approach conducting U.S. diplomatic and economic outreach to the region. Both countries serve as critical corridors for China s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, and simultaneously remain in the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. A critical understanding of the region remains key to achieving U.S. global policy priorities in the 21st century.
Kazakhstan's ruling party was set to sweep Sunday's parliamentary election, as it has done for decades, with no major opposition groups running in the vote and small street protests rapidly quelled by police.
Voting ends in parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan 1 minute read
Nur-Sultan, Jan 10 (efe-epa).- Polling stations in Kazakhstan closed Sunday at 8:00 p.m. local time (14:00 GMT) after thirteen hours of voting in parliamentary elections in which the ruling Nur Otan party is expected to maintain its absolute majority.
According to data from the country’s Central Electoral Commission, 63.1% of the voters participated in the elections.
Authorities of the Central Asian country highlighted the active participation of citizens on election day despite the cold and restrictions imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Some 11.9 million citizens were called to the polls to elect 98 deputies of the Mazhilis lower house.
ALMATY/NUR-SULTAN (REUTERS) - A party led by Kazakhstan's powerful ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev is set to sweep Sunday's (Jan 10) parliamentary election, as it has done for decades, with no major opposition groups running in the vote.. Read more at straitstimes.com.