Nur Otan

The Nur Otan (Kazakh: Nur Otan, lit. 'Radiant Fatherland') has been the ruling party of Kazakhstan since 1999 with over 762,000 members.[3] The party was founded on 12 February 1999 after the merger of several previously independent pro-presidential parties, including the People's Union of Kazakhstan Unity, the Liberal Movement of Kazakhstan, and the "For Kazakhstan - 2030" Movement.

Nur Otan Nur Otan
Chairman	Nursultan Nazarbayev
First Deputy	Bauyrjan Baibek
Parliamentary Leader	Nurlan Nigmatulin
Founded	12 February 1999 (as Otan) 22 December 2006 (as Nur Otan)
Merger of	People's Union of Kazakhstan Unity Asar Democratic Party Civic Party Agrarian Party People's Cooperative Party
Headquarters	Nur-Sultan
Youth wing	Zhas Otan
Membership (2007)	762,000
Ideology	Kazakh nationalism[1] Authoritarianism[2] Secularism
Political position	Big tent
Colours	Cyan, gold
Seats in Mazhilis	84 / 107
Website
www.nurotan.kz
Politics of Kazakhstan Political parties Elections

History

Nur Otan Headquarters in Nur-Sultan

The party was originally established on 12 February 1999 after several parties, including the People's Union of Kazakhstan Unity, the Liberal Movement of Kazakhstan and the "For Kazakhstan - 2030" Movement were merged. In its 1st Congress, held on 1 March 1999 in Almaty, the party outlined a program largely supportive of the government of Nazarbayev.[4]

In the run-up to previous elections, Nur Otan usually received a majority of domestic media coverage. Before the 1999 election, for example, it was reported that Otan was the main focus in almost 60% of the coverage.[5] Additionally, most of the country's major media outlets had political leanings towards Otan (including those networks such as Khabar, which were formally supportive of Asar).

In the 2004 Kazakh legislative election, the party won 60.6% of the popular vote and 42 out of 77 seats, becoming a majority in the Mazhilis. Otan merged with Dariga Nazarbayeva's Asar on 25 September 2006, increasing the party's seats by 4 to 46 out of 77.[3]

After the merged party was formed, Nazarbayev remarked to his daughter "Tell your Asar members that... you are returning to your father."[6] Nazarbayeva said on 19 June 2006 that all pro-Presidential parties should combine to create a grouping "with which no other party will be able to compete in the next 50 years."[7]

In December 2006, it was announced that the Civic Party and the Agrarian Party would follow in Asar's path and also merge with Otan to increase Otan's share of MP's from 46 to 57 seats out of 77. Nazarbayev said he expected other parties to merge with Otan. Nazarbayev said there should be fewer, stronger parties that "efficiently defend the interests of the population."[8] At the subsequent party congress on 22 December 2006, delegates voted to rename the party Nur Otan.

In the 2007 Kazakh legislative election, the party won 88.05% of the vote and all seats.

In October 2011 a cooperation agreement was signed in Nur-Sultan between Nur Otan and the Ukrainian Party of Regions,[9] and another in 2015 with United Russia.

Electoral history

Presidential elections

Election	Party candidate	Votes	%	Result
2005	Nursultan Nazarbayev	6,147,517	91.15%	Elected Y
2011		7,850,958	95.55%	Elected Y
2015		8,833,250	97.75%	Elected Y
2019	Kassym-Jomart Tokayev	6,504,024	70.76%	Elected Y

Mazhilis elections

Election	Party leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Government
1999	Nursultan Nazarbayev	1,622,895	30.90%	23 / 77	23	1st	Minority government
2004		5,621,436	60.60%	42 / 77	19	1st	Majority government
2007		5,247,720	88.40%	98 / 98	41	1st	Supermajority government
2012		5,621,436	80.99%	83 / 98	15	1st	Supermajority government
2016		6,183,757	82.20%	84 / 98	1	1st	Supermajority government

See also

• Zhas Otan

References

1. Laruelle, Marlene (2016). Kazakhstan in the Making: Legitimacy, Symbols, and Social Changes. Lexington Books. p. 173.
2. Isaacs, Rico (2011). Party System Formation in Kazakhstan. Routledge. p. 224.
3. Kazakhstan: Ruling Party Gets Even Bigger RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
4. Information on Political Parties Participating on the Basis of Party Slates in Elections to Majilis of Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan
5. Media Bias Mars Kazakhstan's Election Campaign Archived 2018-07-26 at the Wayback Machine EurasiaNet
6. Parties of Kazakh Leader, Daughter Merge Townhall
7. Analysis: Kazakh premier takes over daughter's party Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine Middle East Times
8. "Pro-Nazarbaev Party Merges With President's Power Base"
9. Regions Party to cooperate with ruling party in Kazakhstan, Kyiv Post (24 November 2011)

External links

• Official website (Kazakh, Russian, English)