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'''Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan''' (''Demokraticheskii Vybor Kazakhstana'', ''Qazaqstannyn Demokratiyalyk Tandau'') was a political party in [[Kazakhstan]]. It was disbanded in February 2005 before the presidential elections.

==Origin==
It was founded as a result of a split within ruling elite that erupted into a full-scale crisis in November 2001. The roots of the crisis is not clear, yet it appears that a conflict of interests between a group of reformist bureaucrats, including the governor of [[Pavlodar]] region, [[Galymzhan Zhakiyanov]], deputy premier [[Oraz Zhandosov]] and [[Mukhtar Ablyazov]], former minister of Energy and the owner of Astana holding, and President Nazarbayev’s son-in law [[Rakhat Aliyev]] prompted the former to declare establishment of a pro-business, pro-reform movement called Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan. Founders of the movement included deputy defense minister [[Zhannat Yertlesova]], deputy finance minister [[Kairat Kelimbetov]], and leading businessmen, the head of the Kazkommertz bank [[Nurzhan Subkhanberdin]] and [[Bulat Abilov]]. The then prime minister, [[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev|Tokaev]] harshly criticized the movement and asked the founders to resign from their government posts. The crisis was contained as a result of the intervention of [[Nazarbayev]]. Tokaev was reassigned as the foreign minister, while [[Rakhat Aliyev]] was transferred to Vienna as ambassador. [[Zhakiyanov]], [[Zhandosov]], [[Ablyazov]] and others were fired from their government positions.<ref>Barbara Junisbai, Azamat Junisbai, Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan: A Case Study in Economic Liberalization, Intraelite Cleavage, and Political Opposition, Demokratizatsiya, Summer 2005.</ref>

==Evolution==
DCK, from its foundation, embraced a number of influential politicians and wealthy businessmen of the country who grew disillusioned with  the inner circles of president [[Nazarbayev]]. The movement adopted a strong anti-Nazarbayev stance and criticized the corruption and nepotism of the president and his clique. Despite repeated attempts, authorities did not register DCK as a political movement. A party, Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan; was founded out of the movement and participated in the 2004 parliamentary elections in a bloc with [[Serikbolsin Abdildin]]’s [[Communist Party]]. The bloc failed to win any seats in the parliament. Two founding members of the movement, [[Galymzhan Zhakiyanov]] and [[Mukhtar Ablyazov]] were convicted of embezzlement and misuse of their position for private gain and were sentenced to seven and six years prison terms. .<ref>Nurbulat Masanov, Political development of sovereign Kazakhstan, (Years 1992 through 2002),International Eurasian Institute for Economic and Political Research, http://www.iicas.org/english/publ_24_12_02.htm, (accessed on February, 05, 2007)</ref> Ablyazov was released on health reasons and Zhakiyanov was pardoned in the winter of 2006.

==Reformation==
DCK was disbanded in February 2005 before the presidential elections. But the party-led coalition of opposition forces, [[For a Just Kazakhstan]], nominated former deputy chair of the [[OTAN party]], [[Zharmakhan Tuyakbay]] as a presidential candidate in the elections held on 4 December 2005.  [[Tuyakbay]] received 6% of the votes. DCK was split in the spring of 2002 as a group of moderate members, including [[Oraz Zhandosov]], [[Bulat Abilov]] and [[Alikhan Baimenov]] established the center- right [[Ak Zhol Party]]. Later, Ak Zhol also gave birth to another party, [[Naghyz Ak Zhol]], led by [[Bulat Abilov]], [[Altynbek Sarsenbaev]] and [[Oraz Zhandosov]]. DCK leaders have been trying to reregister the party with a new name [[Alga! Kazakhstan]].<ref>Cengiz Surucu, 4 Aralık 2005 Kazakistan Başkanlık Seçimleri Üzerine Gözlemler, OAKA, vol: 1, No: 1, 2006, pp. 153-158</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Kazakhstani political parties}}

[[Category:Political parties in Kazakhstan]]