In this issue:
Nazarbayev Returns as President in
Landslide Victory
Nursultan Nazarbayev cruised to a reelection for a new seven-year term in the December 4th election receiving the support of more than 90 percent of those who voted. More than three fourths of registered voters exercised their right to vote and cast ballots on Election Day which went in a mostly calm and amicable atmosphere.
Onalsyn Zhumabekov, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Central Election Commission, declared the election valid and announced the preliminary results at a Monday morning press conference in Astana. He said Mr. Nazarbayev received 6,100,694 votes cast, or 91.01 percent, Zharmakhan Tuyakbai of For a Fair Kazakhstan movement came second with 445,047 votes, or 6.64 percent, while Alikhan Baimenov of the Ak Zhol Democratic Party was third with 1.65 percent. Yerassyl Abylkassymov finished fourth with 0.38 percent, while Mels Yeleusizov of the Tabigat (Nature) environmental movement was fifth with 0.32 percent.
More than three fourths of registered voters in Kazakhstan turned out at polling stations on December 4 to cast their ballot. Out of a total of 8,874,968 voters in voter lists, 6,850,000, or more than 77 percent, voted. Slightly less than 400,000 people, or 13.80 % of those who voted, chose to do it through the Sailau electronic system, while almost 3,000,000, or 35 percent, had such an option.
The election was observed by 11,086 trustees of candidates for president, more than 1,000 observers from foreign countries, international organizations and foreign reporters, 16,458 observers from political parties, 5,652 observers from public associations, and 500 Kazakh reporters.
The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as well as observers from other international organizations and foreign countries are expected to issue their preliminary reports on the conduct of the election later on Monday.
Preliminary results (as of 10.00 am Astana time, Monday, December 5, 2005):
Candidate / Party
Number of votesPercentage
Nursultan Nazarbayev / Otan Party6,100,694 91.01
Zharmakhan Tuyakbai / For a Fair Kazakhstan movement445,047 6.64
Alikhan Baimenov / Ak Zhol Democratic Party 110,462 1.65
Yerassyl Abylkassymov / Communist People’s Party 25,330 0.38
Mels Yeleusizov / Tabigat (Nature) movement 21,674 0.32
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News Bulletin of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada
(Compiled from own sources and agency reports)
Contact person: Roman Vassilenko
1401 16th Street NW, Washington DC 20036
Tel.: 202 232 5488, ext. 104, Fax: 202 232 5845
