Brussels highlighted Kazakhstan’s efforts. The European Union positively assessed the preparation and organisation of the August 23 parliamentary election and reaffirmed its readiness to further strengthen its strategic partnership with Kazakhstan, DKNews.kz reports.
This was stated in an official statement by the EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
EU highlighted the organisation of the election under a tight timetable
Brussels drew particular attention to the fact that the election took place after a major transformation of Kazakhstan’s political system.
In March 2026, a new Constitution was adopted by referendum, and the country moved to a unicameral Parliament — the Kurultai.
Despite the short period between calling the election and organising it, the European Union acknowledged the efforts made by the Kazakh authorities to prepare and conduct the vote in an orderly manner.
“The EU acknowledges the efforts made by the Kazakh authorities to organise these elections in a well-prepared and orderly manner, despite the short time between calling the elections and their organisation,” the statement said.
The EU also welcomed the participation of political parties and citizens in the electoral process.
For Kazakhstan, this assessment carries particular significance in the context of the transition to a new parliamentary system: the first election following the constitutional reform was organised within a compressed timeframe.
The Kurultai was viewed as part of a broader political reform
The European Union did not treat the election as an isolated event, but rather as a continuation of the political reforms carried out in recent months.
Brussels directly linked the August 23 vote to the adoption of the new Constitution and the introduction of a unicameral Parliament.
This means the international assessment extends beyond election day itself and also reflects the broader transformation of Kazakhstan’s political institutions.
At the same time, the European side made clear that it is ready to continue its dialogue with Astana.
EU reaffirms support for Kazakhstan’s reform agenda
The European Union encouraged Kazakhstan to continue its work on democratic reforms.
The statement specifically refers to human rights, the rule of law and democratic governance.
“We stand ready to continue our cooperation with Kazakhstan to further strengthen our strategic partnership, based on shared values and mutual respect,” the EU said.
This is one of the key political messages of the statement.
Despite concerns raised by international observers, Brussels did not present them as a reason to weaken relations with Kazakhstan.
Instead, the EU reaffirmed its intention not only to preserve the strategic partnership, but also to further strengthen it.
OSCE/ODIHR observations were also taken into account
At the same time, the EU statement was not limited to positive assessments.
The European Union said it took note of the preliminary conclusions of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, which raised concerns about political and media pluralism and aspects of the legal framework.
The observations also referred to limited opportunities for public consultation and procedural issues on election day, including aspects of the vote count.
The mission also noted differences between observed voter activity and the officially reported turnout.
However, these remain preliminary findings and do not constitute the final international assessment of the election.
The EU’s position therefore combines two messages: recognition of Kazakhstan’s organisational efforts and an expectation that institutional reforms will continue.
Kazakhstan remains a strategic partner for the EU
The most significant signal comes at the end of the statement.
The European Union reaffirmed its readiness to continue cooperation with Kazakhstan.
This shows that political reforms, human rights and the rule of law will remain important elements of the bilateral agenda.
Following the adoption of the new Constitution and the Kurultai election, Kazakhstan now enters the next stage — the practical operation of its new political institutions.
Their performance will shape not only domestic assessments of the reform process, but also Kazakhstan’s political dialogue with its international partners.
We previously reported on the OSCE/ODIHR preliminary assessment following the Kurultai election. The international response has now been supplemented by the European Union’s official position, in which Brussels acknowledged the organisation of the election and reaffirmed its readiness to strengthen its strategic partnership with Kazakhstan.
