Coalition of Democratic Forces (Kazakhstan)

The Coalition of Democratic Forces (Kazakh: Демократиялық күштер коалициясы, romanized: Demokratialyq küşter koalitsiasy, DKK; Russian: Коалиция демократических сил, romanized: Koaliciya demokraticheskikh sil, KDS) is a Kazakh opposition political alliance that was founded on 5 September 2022.^[1][2]

Coalition of Democratic Forces Демократиялық күштер коалициясы Demokratialyq küşter koalitsiasy
Abbreviation	DKK (Kazakh) KDS (Russian)
Founders	Bulat Abilov Nūrjan Ältaev
Founded	5 September 2022 (2022-09-05)
Ideology	Anti-authoritarianism Liberal democracy Civic nationalism Anti-corruption
Member parties	Bizdin Tandau El Tıregı Namys JSDP Halyq Biligi Alğa Qazaqstan Jer Qorgany
Politics of Kazakhstan Political parties Elections

The DKK opposed 2022 snap presidential elections and instead promised to organise protest rallies, but in parallel to preparing a single candidate for the presidential race in case the elections would not be postponed.^[3]

History

Following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's 2022 State of the Nation Address where he announced his candidacy for the snap presidential elections and a constitutional amendment in extending the presidential term to seven years while making it non-renewable,^[4][5] the Coalition of Democratic Forces (DKK) was subsequently formed in response and held its first conference on 5 September 2022 in Almaty. From there, the DKK expressed its opposition in holding of snap elections as well as proposed seven-year presidential term law and instead called for the postponement of the vote to the originally scheduled date in 2024. It was attended by many opposition politicians and civil activists: Rysbek SärsenbaI, Erlan Qaliev, Bulat Abilov, Nūrjan Ältaev, Mūqtar Taijan, Güjan Ergalieva and others.^[6][7][8][9]

On 12 September, former Nationwide Social Democratic Party chairman Ermurat Bapi called rumours about his nomination as a presidential candidate from DKK. According to him, first they must achieve political reforms and changes in the electoral law, and then choose candidates for the elections.^[10]

The DKK on 14 September attempted to hold a demonstration in Almaty against the holding of snap presidential elections but were barred from doing so by the Almaty City Administration.^[11][12]

References

1. "Kazakh Opposition Organizing Against Snap Elections". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
2. "Кезектен тыс сайлау. Демократиялық күштер коалициясы үндеу жасады". qazaqtimes.com (in Kazakh (Kazakhstan)). Retrieved 14 September 2022.
3. "Қазақстанның демократиялық күштер коалициясы Президенттің кезектен тыс сайлауына қарсы" (in Kazakh). Retrieved 14 September 2022.
4. "Kazakhstan leader seeks snap presidential vote with 7-year term". www.aljazeera.com. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
5. "Kazakh leader to seek second term in snap election". Reuters. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
6. "Коалиция демократических сил Казахстана выступает против внеочередных выборов президента - Аналитический интернет-журнал Власть". vlast.kz (in Russian). 5 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
7. "Коалиция демократических сил Казахстана выступает против внеочередных президентских выборов". The Village Казахстан. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
8. "В «Казахстане» в очередной раз сыграли в «Коалицию демократических сил»". QMonitor (in Russian). Retrieved 14 September 2022.
9. "Сайлау: Оппозиция коалициясы не дейді?". Abai.kz. 5 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
10. "Ермурат Бапи назвал слухами информацию о выдвижении его кандидатом в президенты от оппозиции - Аналитический интернет-журнал Власть". vlast.kz (in Russian). 12 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
11. "Акимат Алматы отказал Коалиции демократических сил в проведении митинга против выборов президента - Аналитический интернет-журнал Власть". vlast.kz (in Russian). 14 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
12. Радиосы, Азаттық (14 September 2022). "Әкімдік "Демократиялық күштер коалициясына" митинг өткізуге рұқсат бермеді". Азаттық радиосы (in Kazakh). Retrieved 14 September 2022.