The European Union said it had taken note of preliminary results from Kazakhstan’s parliamentary elections held on 23 August 2026, following political reforms introduced earlier this year.
The EU said Kazakhstan adopted a new Constitution by referendum in March 2026 and introduced a unicameral parliament, known as the Kurultai, according to the statement released by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on Tuesday.
The bloc pointed out that it acknowledged efforts by the Kazakh authorities to run the vote in a “well-prepared and orderly manner”, despite the short time between the election being called and being held.
It also said it welcomed participation by political parties and citizens in the election process.
OSCE observers cite limits on pluralism
The EU referred to preliminary findings from the OSCE’s election observation mission — led by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) — which reported that the vote took place under conditions of limited political and media pluralism, and under a legal framework not aligned with international standards for democratic elections.
The OSCE/ODIHR also cited procedural violations on election day, including issues related to the vote count, and differences between observed voter activity and the turnout that was reported.
The EU said it “strongly encourages” Kazakhstan to continue work on democratic reforms and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the country’s reform agenda in areas including human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance.
It added that it stood ready to continue cooperation with Kazakhstan to strengthen what it described as a strategic partnership based on shared values and mutual respect.
