Adilet, a newly-formed pro-government party in Kazakhstan, ​took more than ‌71% of the vote in the country’s August 24 parliamentary election, the electoral commission announced on the morning of August 25 as it released the preliminary results.

The outcome of the poll for the country’s new single-chamber parliament, the Kurultai, will consolidate the power of president of seven years Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

As reported by IntelliNews ahead of the election, a sense of fatigue was hanging over the poll, with analysts pointing to voter disengagement, the absence of a genuine opposition and growing self-censorship as evidence of a widening gap between society and the political system.

Political analyst Daniyar Ashimbayev said in comments on the result that turnout, recorded at 74.08%, grew by around 20 percentage points versus the last parliamentary election, while electoral support for the ruling party (Adilet is led by top ​aides to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and soon after its founding earlier this year, it incorporated the ‌previous ⁠ruling party, Amanat, formerly Nur Otan) increased by around the same amount.

“Kazakh voters traditionally support political centrism, a combination of reforms and moderate conservatism. There is no appetite for radicalism or marginal figures and views,” said Ashimbayev.

Aside from Adilet, pro-business ​Respublika ​and ⁠Ak Zhol party, the centre-left Nationwide Social Democratic ​Party and ​Auyl ⁠party, backed by rural voters, will enter parliament following the poll. All four ⁠parties ​are seen ​as largely supportive of the Tokayev administration.

The Times of Central Asia cited political analyst Gaziz Abishev as calculating how the chamber’s 145 seats could be distributed among the parties that cleared the 5% vote share threshold. Adilet would take 110 seats, Auyl 10, Respublica nine, and Ak Zhol and OSDP eight each, he estimated.

As he cast his ballot at a polling station in Astana, Tokayev announced he would present a candidate for vice president to the Kurultai within 10 days.

He also said that the country, Central Asia’s largest economy, would need to initiate the work of a new state body, the Qazaqstan Halyq Kenesi, or People’s Council of Kazakhstan, and turn the entire country into “one big construction site”.

He continued: “Large construction projects will be implemented in every regional centre, district and city. Polyclinics, children’s rehabilitation centres and other social facilities will be built."

Hinting at some government personnel changes, Tokayev added that “some young officials appointed as ministers and working in the government have failed to cope with the tasks entrusted to them.”