View source for Ak Zhol Democratic Party

{{Infobox Political party
|name = "Ak Zhol" Democratic Party
|native_name = «Ақ жол» Демократиялық Партиясы
|logo = [[File:Ak Zhol Democratic Party logo.png|250px]]
|leader = [[Azat Peruashev]]
|spokesperson = 
|foundation = March 2002
|headquarters = [[Astana]]
|youth_wing  = 
|ideology = [[Liberalism]]
|position = [[Centre-right]]
|international = 
|seats1_title = Seats in [[Mazhilis]]
|seats1 = {{Composition bar|7|107|hex=#0098DB}}
|colorcode = #0098DB
|country = Kazakhstan
|website = {{URL|http://www.akzhol.kz/}}
}}  

The '''"Ak Zhol" Democratic Party''' ({{lang-kz|«Ақ жол» Демократиялық Партиясы}}, [[transliteration]]: ''«Aq Jol» Demokratïyalıq Partïyası''), commonly referred to simply as '''Ak Zhol''' ({{lang-kz|Ақ жол}}, [[transliteration]]: ''Aq Jol''; "'''Bright Path'''") is a [[Liberalism|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.<ref>Cengiz Surucu, 4 Aralık 2005 Kazakistan Başkanlık Seçimleri Üzerine Gözlemler, OAKA, vol: 1, No: 1, 2006, pp. 153-158.</ref>

==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.<ref>Joanna Lillis,  
Kazakhstan Experiences Political Shift, Eurasia Insight, October 17, 2006, http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav101706.shtml</ref> 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 [[Kazakhstan presidential election, 2005|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.<ref>Kazakhstan Elections 2005, http://www.kazelection2005.org</ref> 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 [[Majilis|Assembly]] [[Kazakhstani legislative election, 2007|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 [[Kazakhstani legislative election, 2012|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===
{| class=wikitable
|-
! Election year
! Candidate
! # of overall votes
! % of overall vote
! Result
|-
! [[Kazakhstani presidential election, 2005|2005]]
| '''Alikhan Baimenov'''
| 108,730
| 1.61%
| '''Defeated'''
|}

===Mazhilis===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Election
! Seats won
! ±
! Total votes
! Share of votes
! Position
! Party leader
|-
![[Kazakhstani legislative election, 2004|2004]]
| {{Composition bar|1|77|hex=#007FFF}}
| {{increase}}1
| 
| 12.00%
| style="background-color:#FFCCCC" |Opposition
| 
|-
![[Kazakhstani legislative election, 2007|2007]]
| {{Composition bar|0|98|hex=#0098DB}}
| {{decrease}}1
| 183,346
| 3.10%
| style="background-color:#FFCCCC" |No seats in the Mazhilis
| 
|-
![[Kazakhstani legislative election, 2012|2012]]
| {{Composition bar|8|98|hex=#0098DB}}
| {{increase}}8
| 518,405
| 7.47%
| style="background-color:#FFCCCC" |Opposition
| 
|-
![[Kazakhstani legislative election, 2016|2016]]
| {{Composition bar|7|98|hex=#0098DB}}
| {{decrease}}1
| 540,406
| 7.18%
| style="background-color:#FFCCCC" |Opposition
| 
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.akzhol.kz/ Ak Zhol Democratic Party of Kazakhstan official Site]

{{Kazakhstani political parties}}

[[Category:Political parties in Kazakhstan]]