Ak Zhol Democratic Party

The "Ak Zhol" Democratic Party (Template:Lang-kz, transliteration: «Aq Jol» Demokratïyalıq Partïyası), commonly referred to simply as Ak Zhol (Template:Lang-kz, transliteration: Aq Jol; "Bright Path") is a liberal political party in Kazakhstan.

History

Ak Zhol was founded in March 2002 when a group of moderates split from the more radical Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan movement, founded in November 2001 by anti-Nazarbayev activists. The new more moderate party ran on a pro-reform, pro-business platform, and in contrast to the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan movement, its leaders refrained from openly confronting Nursultan Nazarbayev. Ak Zhol was founded by Oraz Zhandosov, Bulat Abilov and Alikhan Baimenov. Ex-information minister Altynbek Sarsenbaev later joined the party.

Electoral performance

Ak Zhol received 12% of the votes at the last legislative elections in September 2004. Alikhan Baimenov refused to accept the only seat the party received at the 77 member Majlis until October 2006 when he reversed his position and joined parliament as the only deputy of an opposition party. The party advocated democratization of the political system, particularly elections of governors (akims) at all levels of the administrative system.

Fragmentation

In the spring of 2005, Sarsenbaev, Abilov and Zhandosov split from the party to form a dissident faction named Naghyz Ak Zhol (True Bright Path). At the last presidential elections on 4 December 2005 Ak Zhol did not join the coalition of opposition forces For a Just Kazakhstan and nominated Alikhan Baimenov, the chair, as the party candidate. Baimenov won 1.61% of the popular vote. One of the party leaders who later joined the Naghyz Ak Zhol party, Altynbek Sarsenbaev, was killed near Almaty in February 2006 soon after the presidential elections. In the 18 August 2007 Assembly elections, the party won 3.27% of the popular vote and no seats. All seats were won by the ruling Nur-Otan party. In the 2012 Majilis election, the party won 8 seats and thus becoming one of three parties represented in the legislature; however, six out of seven parties contesting the election were said to be loyal to President Nazarbayev.

Election results

President

Election year	Candidate	# of overall votes	% of overall vote	Result
2005	Alikhan Baimenov	108,730	1.61%	Defeated

Mazhilis

Election	Seats won	±	Total votes	Share of votes	Position	Party leader
2004	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase1		12.00%	Opposition
2007	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease1	183,346	3.10%	No seats in the Mazhilis
2012	Template:Composition bar	Template:Increase8	518,405	7.47%	Opposition
2016	Template:Composition bar	Template:Decrease1	540,406	7.18%	Opposition

External links

• Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan official Site

Template:Kazakhstani political parties