Kazakhstan Vote Lacked Genuine Competition: Observers By Dana Rysmukhamedova with Christopher Rickleton in Almaty
01/11/21 AT 3:13 PM
International election monitors on Monday said a weekend parliamentary poll in Kazakhstan lacked any real competition, raising concerns over freedom of assembly after riot police detained opposition protesters.
Sunday s vote in the authoritarian Central Asian country went ahead without any genuine opposition parties, even after leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev promised gradual reforms after he came to power in 2019. As all political parties contesting the elections supported the policies of the ruling party, the campaign was not competitive, and voters had no genuine political alternatives to choose from, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a statement.