Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan
Encyclopedia
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.
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, 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.
. 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. . Ablyazov was released on health reasons and Zhakiyanov was pardoned in the winter of 2006.
, 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.
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. 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 PavlodarPavlodar
Pavlodar is a city in northeastern Kazakhstan and the capital of Pavlodar Province. It is located 350 km northeast of the national capital Astana, and 400 km southeast of the Russian city of Omsk along the Irtysh River. , the city has a population of 331710...
region, Galymzhan Zhakiyanov
Galymzhan Zhakiyanov
Galymzhan Zhakiyanov ; was born in 1963 in Eastern Kazakhstan. He graduated from Moscow Bauman Moscow State Technical University in 1986 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. G. Zhakiyanov worked for a time as a manager at a Soviet military plant...
, deputy premier Oraz Zhandosov and Mukhtar Ablyazov
Mukhtar Ablyazov
Mukhtar Ablyazov is a Kazakh businessman, former banker and co-founder of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan , an opposition political movement that aimed to challenge the current president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev...
, former minister of Energy and the owner of Astana holding, and President Nazarbayev’s son-in law Rakhat Aliyev
Rakhat Aliyev
Rakhat Mukhtaruly Aliyev served as the First Vice Foreign Minister in the government of Kazakhstan until February 2007 when he was appointed to his second tour as Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Austria...
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
Kairat Kelimbetov
Kairat Kelimbetov served as the Minister of Economy and Budget Planning in the Government of Kazakhstan. In late July 2005 Minister Kelimbetov announced that Kazakhstan's GDP grew by 9.1% in the last year.-See also:*Government of Kazakhstan...
, and leading businessmen, the head of the Kazkommertz bank Nurzhan Subkhanberdin and Bulat Abilov
Bulat Abilov
Bulat Abilov was the Deputy Chairman of the Otan political party in Kazakhstan. He achieved this position following the death of Parliamentary Speaker and Deputy Chairman Marat Ospanov.- External links :* *...
. The then prime minister, 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
Rakhat Aliyev
Rakhat Mukhtaruly Aliyev served as the First Vice Foreign Minister in the government of Kazakhstan until February 2007 when he was appointed to his second tour as Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Austria...
was transferred to Vienna as ambassador. Zhakiyanov, Zhandosov, Ablyazov and others were fired from their government positions.
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 PartyCommunist party
A political party described as a Communist party includes those that advocate the application of the social principles of communism through a communist form of government...
. The bloc failed to win any seats in the parliament. Two founding members of the movement, Galymzhan Zhakiyanov
Galymzhan Zhakiyanov
Galymzhan Zhakiyanov ; was born in 1963 in Eastern Kazakhstan. He graduated from Moscow Bauman Moscow State Technical University in 1986 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. G. Zhakiyanov worked for a time as a manager at a Soviet military plant...
and Mukhtar Ablyazov
Mukhtar Ablyazov
Mukhtar Ablyazov is a Kazakh businessman, former banker and co-founder of the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan , an opposition political movement that aimed to challenge the current president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev...
were convicted of embezzlement and misuse of their position for private gain and were sentenced to seven and six years prison terms. . 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 KazakhstanFor a Just Kazakhstan
For a Just Kazakhstan is a political movement that was founded by the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, the Naghyz Ak Zhol Party and the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan Party as an opposition coalition to nominate a single candidate in the 2005 presidential elections.The movement is led by...
, nominated former deputy chair of the OTAN party, Zharmakhan Tuyakbay
Zharmakhan Tuyakbay
Jarmakhan Aytbayuli Tuyakbay , born on 22 November 1947 in South Kazakhstan Province of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union) is a Kazakh politician. At present, he is Chairman of the Nationwide Social Democratic Party and For a Just Kazakhstan political movement...
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
Bulat Abilov
Bulat Abilov was the Deputy Chairman of the Otan political party in Kazakhstan. He achieved this position following the death of Parliamentary Speaker and Deputy Chairman Marat Ospanov.- External links :* *...
and Alikhan Baimenov established the center- right Ak Zhol
Ak Zhol
Ak Zhol can refer to:* Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol* Ak Jol, a political party in Kyrgyzstan...
Party. Later, Ak Zhol
Ak Zhol
Ak Zhol can refer to:* Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol* Ak Jol, a political party in Kyrgyzstan...
also gave birth to another party, Naghyz Ak Zhol
Naghyz Ak Zhol
The Naghyz Ak Zhol is a former Kazakh political party. It was founded by Bulat Abilov, Altynbek Sarsenbaev, Oraz Zhandosov, and Tulegen Zhukeyev, and held its first constituent congress on 29 April 2005...
, led by Bulat Abilov
Bulat Abilov
Bulat Abilov was the Deputy Chairman of the Otan political party in Kazakhstan. He achieved this position following the death of Parliamentary Speaker and Deputy Chairman Marat Ospanov.- External links :* *...
, Altynbek Sarsenbaev
Altynbek Sarsenbaev
Altynbek Sarsenbayuly served in the Government of Kazakhstan before becoming a political opposition leader. At the time of his death, he served as co-chairman of the opposition Naghyz Ak Zhol party....
and Oraz Zhandosov. DCK leaders have been trying to reregister the party with a new name Alga! Kazakhstan.