Kazakhstan's ruling Amanat party announced it will merge into Adilet, a new party aligned with President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev, ahead of parliamentary elections expected in August. The consolidation follows a March constitutional change and signals a major reshaping of the country's political landscape. The move also comes after January 2022 unrest that left hundreds dead and prompted a Russian‑led security deployment.
Kazakhstan's Ruling Amanat to Merge Into Pro‑Tokayev Adilet Ahead of August Elections
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev takes part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall in Moscow, Russia, November 12, 2025. Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool via REUTERS
Kazakhstan's ruling Amanat party announced on June 12 that it will merge into Adilet, a political party formed earlier this year by close allies of President Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev. The announcement was made at Amanat's congress in Astana and comes as the country prepares for parliamentary elections expected in August.
Amanat has dominated Kazakhstan's parliament for decades, winning large majorities in every election it has contested since its creation in 1999 under the patronage of then‑President Nursultan Nazarbayev. The decision to fold Amanat into Adilet signals a major reshaping of the country's political landscape.
Context and Political Significance
Officials and analysts view the merger as part of a broader overhaul of Kazakhstan's tightly managed political system. In March, Kazakhstan approved a new constitution that some observers say could facilitate an eventual transfer of power. President Tokayev is expected to leave office when his current term ends in 2029.
Adilet is widely seen as closely aligned with Tokayev: several of the president's top aides are in its leadership, and the party was set up this year by his supporters. The move positions Adilet as the likely main vehicle for Tokayev's political agenda going into the parliamentary vote.
Background: 2022 Unrest
The consolidation follows the violent nationwide unrest in January 2022, which authorities and outside observers have described as an attempt by forces loyal to former leader Nazarbayev to regain influence. The unrest left hundreds dead and resulted in the deployment of a Russian‑led peacekeeping force to support Tokayev's government.
As Kazakhstan, Central Asia's largest economy and a significant oil and gas producer, heads into the August elections, the merger underscores an ongoing reconfiguration of power among the country's political elites. Observers will be watching whether the move affects electoral competition, party pluralism, and the balance between legacy Nazarbayev networks and Tokayev's emerging political camp.
Reporting: Tamara Vaal. Writing: Felix Light. Editing: Jan Harvey.
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