Local akims elections in Kazakhstan

Last summer (between the 5th and the 9th of August) the election of local mayors or akims under a new system has successfully taken place across villages, towns as well as in rural districts all over Kazakhstan. A total of 2,454 new akims have been elected, which are the 91% of the total (the akims at higher level are appointed).

Kazakhstan is a unitary state, presenting three levels of administration: first of all, the country is divided into 14 oblasts (regions) and two main cities – the capital Astana and the biggest and economically most relevant city Almaty. At the second level there are raions (provinces), including some cities which have raion status. The third level counts local administrations, including villages, towns and rural districts. Mayors at all levels are called akims (see Makhmutova 2003).

The local akims election is part of a process of administrative decentralization, so far under the total control of Astana. The legislative basis of this process is to be found in a Constitutional amendment (2007) introducing the concept of local self-administration, and in a Presidential Decree (n. 1287/2012), which approved the “Concept for the development of local self-administration in Kazakhstan”. The latter establishes two phases: the first  (2012-2016), should “enhance the potential of existing administrative structures”, through a clear division of functions between local representatives of the central government and local self-administration bodies. Moreover, in this phase measures for ensuring financial and budget autonomy for the local administrations should be taken. The second phase (2017-2020) foresees a further enhancement of local autonomies, although no specific measures are indicated.

The elections of local akims was initially scheduled for the second phase but was instead announced for 2013 by the President Nazarbayev in the strategy  “Kazakhstan 2050”, presented in December 2012. The decentralization process was here considered “crucial for democratization and the building of a strong and effective state”.  

In order to put this plans into practice, a law was adopted in June 2013 (n. 101-V/2013), which had the goal of eliminate overlaps and potential conflicts between different levels of administration and to improve administrative management. The specific rules for akims elections were instead announced with a Presidential Decree (n. 555/2013). Akims are elected indirectly by groups of great electors, formed within the raionnye maslikhaty (consultive bodies at the raion level). As maslikhats members are directly elected, it has been emphasized that the reform introduces a further step towards democratization and political participation: now akims are, at least indirectly, accountable also towards the population.

Despite the great relevance given to the event by the official press, these elections are indeed a very cautions step towards administrative decentralization. Although presented directly, candidatures need to be approved by the raion akim, after consultations with representatives of civil society. Centre-dependent bodies, therefore, maintain a sort of veto power on candidatures. Moreover, despite nominally in charge of budget, local akims still depend on raions for their financial needs. Obviously the next steps will be decisive.

Astana has always been very cautious when walking on the path of decentralization: multiple times in the past, experiments in this sense (including elections of local and even oblast akims, in 2004 and 2006) were cancelled soon after their implementation.

Sources:

Makhmutova, Meruert (2003). “Local Government in Kazakhstan”, in: Munteanu, Igor, and Victor Popa, (eds) Developing New Rules in the Old Environment. Local Government and Public Service. http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/untc/unpan015094.pdf

Presidential Decree n. 1287 of the 11/10/2012: http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/P1200001287

Strategya Kazakhstan 2050: http://www.akorda.kz/ru/page/page_poslanie-prezidenta-respubliki-kazakhstan-n-nazarbaeva-narodu-kazakhstana-14-dekabrya-2012-g_1357813742

Presidential Decree n. 555 of the 24/04/2013: http://inform.kz/rus/article/2554028

Law n. 101-V of the 13/06/2013: http://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/Z1300000101

 “New Mayoral Elections successfully conclude across Kazakhstan”, (Press release, CEC, 12/08/2013): http://kazconsulny.org/news/new_mayoral_elections_successfully_conclude_across_kk1728l53.php

  

This post has been originally published (in Italian) on the Milan University blog "Diritto Pubblico dei Paesi dell'Europa Centro-Orientale".

Link: http://users2.unimi.it/dirpubesteuropa/2013/11/le-elezioni-degli-akim-locali-in-kazakistan/