[Astana] Kazakh voters were heading to the polls Sunday for the third national election in less than a year.
This time, some 12 million registered voters have the chance to cast their ballots for the lower parliament and local councils, following a constitutional referendum in June and a snap presidential election in November that solidified President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s position as the oil-rich country’s preeminent leader.
Tokayev had promised to allow more competition in the political sphere soon after he took power in March 2019.
Following bloody protests in January 2022 over steep price rises after the lifting of government price caps on liquefied gas, President Tokayev announced several political measures to appease protesters. including presidential and parliamentary elections.