Headlong Rush to Join President's Party
Headlong Rush to Join President's Party
As government ministers and other officials queue up to join the giant party Nur Otan, NBCentralAsia political scientists warn that the concept of a division of powers between legislature and the executive could be eroded.
Three ministers joined the president’s Nur Otan party last week –Labour and Welfare Minister Guljan Karagusova, Culture and Information Minister Yermukhamet Yertysbaev and Agriculture Minister Ahmetjan Yesimov.
In late June, party membership cards were issued to Almaty mayor Imangali Tasmagambetov, Senate (upper house of parliament) speaker Kasymjomart Tokaev, and Kairat Kulimbetov, head of the state fund Kazyna.
An early parliamentary election based on proportional representation has been scheduled for August 18.
Nur Otan now dominates Kazak politics and experts say it can count on winning 80 or 90 per cent of the 107 seats in the lower house of parliament or Majilis.
Under a set of constitutional amendments adopted in May 2007, the new and expanded Majilis will have substantially greater powers. Its members will be able to approve whoever the president nominates as prime minister by a majority vote and will also have a say in forming the Central Electoral Commission, the Constitutional Council and the Accounts Committee, which controls budget spending. President Nursultan Nazarbaev has said he may also consult parliament when he appoints ministers.
NBCentralAsia political experts say that if members of the executive join the dominant party en masse, the Kazak political system will lose its checks and balances.
Political scientist Maksim Kaznacheev believes the current trend may result in a cabinet composed of Nur Otan members.
“Senior officials have seen that the president plans to form any new government on the basis of nominations made by the Nur Otan party [as parliamentary majority], so they’re trying to make sure their place is secured,” said Kaznacheev. “They are trying to win the advantage in the struggle taking place in the corridors of power.”
Analyst Eduard Poletaev also believes that in the current political climate, one has to be a Nur Otan member if one wants to pursue a successful career in government.
“The authorities are strengthening Nur Otan with ministers out of the best of motives, since they believe the party will be most effective if it is built from the top down. It is an attempt to instill discipline in the ranks of government, and also an election campaign technique,” said Poletaev.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
Система сдержек и противовесов под угрозой
Three ministers joined the president’s Nur Otan party last week –Labour and Welfare Minister Guljan Karagusova, Culture and Information Minister Yermukhamet Yertysbaev and Agriculture Minister Ahmetjan Yesimov.
In late June, party membership cards were issued to Almaty mayor Imangali Tasmagambetov, Senate (upper house of parliament) speaker Kasymjomart Tokaev, and Kairat Kulimbetov, head of the state fund Kazyna.
An early parliamentary election based on proportional representation has been scheduled for August 18.
Nur Otan now dominates Kazak politics and experts say it can count on winning 80 or 90 per cent of the 107 seats in the lower house of parliament or Majilis.
Under a set of constitutional amendments adopted in May 2007, the new and expanded Majilis will have substantially greater powers. Its members will be able to approve whoever the president nominates as prime minister by a majority vote and will also have a say in forming the Central Electoral Commission, the Constitutional Council and the Accounts Committee, which controls budget spending. President Nursultan Nazarbaev has said he may also consult parliament when he appoints ministers.
NBCentralAsia political experts say that if members of the executive join the dominant party en masse, the Kazak political system will lose its checks and balances.
Political scientist Maksim Kaznacheev believes the current trend may result in a cabinet composed of Nur Otan members.
“Senior officials have seen that the president plans to form any new government on the basis of nominations made by the Nur Otan party [as parliamentary majority], so they’re trying to make sure their place is secured,” said Kaznacheev. “They are trying to win the advantage in the struggle taking place in the corridors of power.”
Analyst Eduard Poletaev also believes that in the current political climate, one has to be a Nur Otan member if one wants to pursue a successful career in government.
“The authorities are strengthening Nur Otan with ministers out of the best of motives, since they believe the party will be most effective if it is built from the top down. It is an attempt to instill discipline in the ranks of government, and also an election campaign technique,” said Poletaev.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
Система сдержек и противовесов под угрозой
