Opposition wins Kazakh Legislative Election!

[kireev]

I read some exit-polls all giving Nazarbayev's party around 80% of the vote. I don't even see the point to rig the election, but they do it anyway – I guess it’s a reflex. Also, the oppositional “Ak Zhol” split up a couple of years ago and the “moderate” faction is now in charge, so Nazarbayev was not really against this party being present in the parliament.

[kireev]

Wow, what a generalization. Nations of the former Soviet Union include countries with freedom level ranging from 1 (highest) to 7 (lowest) according to the Freedom House.

So much for "Free Elections" in nations of the former Soviet Union. I guess they don't know what life would be like without a Dictator.

[kireev]

Doubt it. I wish it was true, but I just don't see that. No polls, no exit polls suggested that. There was an intrigue whether "Ak Zhol" would get more than 7% of the vote in order to get into the Parliament, but that's about it. All polls gave Nazarbayev's party about 80%. But even "Ak Zhol" presence in the parliament would not change much. Ak Zhol was represented in the previous parliament elected in 2004, since then it became even more moderate opposition.


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The election results are worthless since they were rigged, if it had been free, it would have been much closer. And the opposition would have had gained seats.
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