2026 Kazakh legislative election

Legislative elections were held in Kazakhstan on 23 August 2026 to elect all 145 members of the Kurultai of the 1st convocation. It was the 10th legislative election since Kazakhstan's independence in 1991 and the first election to the country's new unicameral legislature established by the 2026 Constitution. Turnout was 74.2%, making it the highest turnout recorded in a national vote in Kazakhstan since the 2026 referendum and the highest turnout in a legislative election since 2016.

The new constitution, approved in a constitutional referendum, provided for the dissolution of the previous bicameral Parliament of Kazakhstan and established the Kurultai as the country's highest representative body. It entered into force on 1 July 2026, on which day President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree calling the legislative election for 23 August. The vote also marked the return of party-list proportional representation under the new electoral system for the first time since the 2021 legislative elections.

The campaign was contested by seven political parties and focused primarily on socio-economic and governance issues. Major campaign issues included living standards, taxation and the minimum wage; inflation and the rising cost of essential goods; economic and industrial development, including regional growth and labour productivity; and the implementation of the new constitutional and parliamentary system.

Ahead of the election, press freedom organizations reported increasing pressure on independent journalists, including arrests, criminal investigations, travel bans and restrictions on journalistic activity. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe said the elections were "technically well prepared" but took place in an environment lacking political pluralism, with limited political alternatives and restrictions on independent candidates, civil society and media.

The newly formed pro-presidential Ädilet party, the successor to Amanat, won the election with 71.2% of the vote, followed by the Auyl with 6.3%, Respublica with 5.6%, the Aq Jol with 5.2%, and the Nationwide Social Democratic Party (JSDP) with 5.1%. The People's Party of Kazakhstan (QHP) and Baytaq failed to reach the 5% electoral threshold, with the QHP losing parliamentary representation for the first time since it entered the parliament in the 2012 legislative elections.

On 28 August 2026, the newly elected Kurultai convened for its first session, where Tokayev nominated Aibek Dädebai as chairman, and deputies subsequently elected him unanimously. The government, led by Prime Minister Oljas Bektenov, also resigned, with its members continuing to perform their duties until a new government was formed. On 31 August, Tokayev nominated Bektenov for reappointment as prime minister, with the Kurultai approving the nomination and Tokayev subsequently appointing him to the position.