Kazakhstan parliamentary vote cements president's power

Kazakhstan's ruling party comforably won an election for the country's new, single-chamber parliament on Sunday, according to exit polls.

State television shared three exit polls giving the Adilet party between 70% and 72% of the vote.

The vote comes after a new constitution approved in March did away with the Senate to create a new unicameral Kurultai — a reference to the medieval councils of the region's nomadic past.

Backers of the new body say it will give parliament more say in decision making, critics argue it will only cement the power of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The 73-year-old took the reins from authoritarian Nursultan Nazarbayev — who himself ruled the country for 30 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union — in 2019.

The pro-presidential Adilet party was expected to win an overwhelming majority in Sunday's vote, while exit polls showed four smaller parties loyal to Tokayev also won seats in the new parliament.

Seven state-approved parties have been allowed to field candidates for the 145-seat parliament while genuine opposition parties have been banned.

The election took place amid soaring inflation (which is hovering around 10.2%) and rising taxes, fueling concerns for the government — and particularly Tokayev — of a repeat of January 2022 cost of living unrest that left 238 protesters and police dead.