One of the main opponents of the ruling party in the upcoming early parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan will be Ak Zhol, the biggest opposition party. For several years Ak Zhol has successfully opposed Nur Otan. The party became one of the main elements of the party-political space of the country.
In 2004 the party got 12.04% of votes in the parliamentary elections. Ak Zhol was given two seats in Mazhilis, the former Soviet republic's parliament.
Meanwhile, the party began losing its supporters. It couldn’t adapt to new reality and used old populist slogans, while voters demanded constructive and contemporary approach. The party found a new lease of life only after changing the authorities. On the 2nd of July 2011 the party elected Azat Peruashev as the chairman of Ak Zhol by a solid vote. After this crucial event the presidential aide Yermukhamet Yertysbayev stated: “A sparring partner for the presidential party Nur Otan has been defined. If Ak Zhol is active, its activity will fill with new real content. It is a liberal party, which is able to promote and defense interests of minor and medium business in the parliament.”
Within preparation to the parliamentary elections Ak Zhol held the meeting on November 27th, 2011. The party list was developed. It includes 79 people headed by the chairman Peruashev. Basic program points presuppose that “the party Ak Zhol will fully support the president of the state, as the members of the party love their country and appreciate their president, but don’t want to accept corruption and injustice of bureaucrats and monopoly of one party. Ak Zhol opposes rudeness, conceit, and lawlessness. We demand respect of human dignity, rights and legal interests of a common Kazakhstani citizen.”
Peruashev is an experienced player on the political field of Kazakhstan. He is one of most well-known and talented politicians of the country. He thinks that the current situation demands clear and consolidated work of all social forces interested in stable development of the state. Even though Nur Ortan is a bone element of the political system, it doesn’t mean there is no place for other players on this field. Power and maturity of Kazakhstan’s political parties define the level of maturity of the political culture itself.
This point of view isn’t shared by all experts and politicians. Political competition is not high. The old opposition uses populist or too nationalistic and destructive slogans. Thus, a new strong leader heading Ak Zhol is a chance to form a new party model, in which the current power would have more points of support.
The part of Ak Zhol’s program about the Eurasian project is interesting. For Russia it is the most significant part of the election campaign. The Eurasian Union is perceived as an important element of the multidirectional strategy aimed at maintenance of political and economic independence of Kazakhstan in the context of negative changes in geopolicy and geoeconomy. The country is situated in the center of Eurasia. It defines its long-term strategies considering international reality. Accession to the Eurasian Union improves ensuring ties, which support national sovereignty.
At the same time, the party insists that participation in the economic union shouldn’t influence independence of the state, its choices of priorities in the spheres of internal and foreign policy.
Another important block of the party’s election program is resistance to extremism and terrorism.
Great attention is paid to cooperation between the state and business. Ak Zhol has principal position in this sphere: it is necessary to provide comfortable conditions for favorable development of business in the country. Not only through comfortable environment for major national companies, but also for minor and medium business, which is a base for prosperity of national economy.
Ivan Dmitriyev. Exclusively to VK
