Kazakh Leopard Following in the Steps of the Asian Tigers

Nezavisimaya Gazeta - Yuri Solozobov

President Nursultan Nazarbayev's Nur Otan is the only political party represented in the new Majilis (lower house of the parliament). It polled 88.05% votes. No other political party scaled the 7% barrier. The United Social Democratic Party or USDP polled 4.62%, Ak Jol 3.27%. Political scientists had expected the opposition (USDP and Ak Jol) to make the parliament but voters decided otherwise.

How come parties of the opposition failed to scale the 7% barrier? There exist at least two explanations. The opposition was not ready from the standpoint of organization. USDP leader Oraz Jandosov admits that "discussion of consolidation took too long." Another explanation is even more alarming in its implications. Parties of the opposition like the USDP fell victim of their own radicalism. They called for dismantlement of the effective state machinery and development of some "new Kazakhstan" in its place. Voters in their turn want stability and therefore opted for a more moderate policy of the reforms pursued by Nazarbayev. Kazakhstan as it is does have accomplishments to take pride in. Why would its citizens jeopardize the recent economic and political successes? Particularly for the sake of personal ambitions of former state officials with inflated egos. By the way, very many expected the regime to permit Ak Jol, constructive opposition party headed by ex-chief of the presidential apparat Alihan Baimenov, to make the parliament. They were mistaken. The Kazakh leadership opted for no-nonsense but transparent rules for the snap parliamentary election. It set out to establish a bona fide political system, not an imaginary political landscape existing only on paper. And if the Kazakh opposition is weak nowadays, then it is surely its own problem. The election last Saturday dotted all Is and crossed all Ts in the political masquerade in Kazakhstan but left political parties every real opportunity to keep working.

Viewed against this background, USDP and Ak Jol leaders' refusal to recognize the outcome is clearly an attempt to make the best of a bad bargain. When election is monitored by more than 1,000 foreign observers, it is not exactly a "profanation" no matter what the losers say. Independent watchdog groups appraised the election as fair and transparent. "The election was fair and legitimate. All in all, it was in line with the acting legislation and international commitments of the Republic of Kazakhstan," to quote observers from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. OSCE experts ended up with a more or less similar opinion.

"This is the first time our country got this appraisal. It proves that Kazakhstan is making progress in the correct political direction," Nazarbayev said. The president called Nur Otan's triumph logical and refused to se absence of the opposition from the parliament as a "tragedy". "History of the world knows single-party parliaments that are quite effective," he said.

The president of Kazakhstan was undeniably referring to the political experience of Lee Kuan Yew, author of the Singaporean marvel who dispelled the myth of universality of the Western model of democracy and state rule. Prime minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, Yew was simultaneously leader of the ruling People's Action Party. Single-party parliament of Singapore was elected in 1968. Following that, the People's Action Party either won absolutely all seats on the parliament or an overwhelming majority of them in campaign after campaign. Singapore was not any worse off for it. On the contrary, the country made some truly amazing progress in political and economic modernization.

Looking for its own model of democracy and modernization and examples to follow, the Kazakh leadership more and more frequently turns to the so called Asian model of democracy successfully tried in the Asian-Pacific region in the second half of the 20th century. South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore are known throughout the world as democracies where all fundamental principles of democratic rule are observed. On the other hand, their democratic systems do greatly differ from Western democracies. Political experience of the Asian-Pacific region sets an example for official Astana. Ideologists of the Kazakh reforms are convinced that the political system of their native country should be a synthesis of democracy (democracy as a way and means, not the ultimate objective) and national traditions of Kazakhstan.

Preparing the political reforms, Astana studied foreign experience. Kazakh leaders believe that "there are three models of democracy in the world these days: European, classic, and the new Afro-Asian one. Kazakhstan should decide which of them is best for its conditions, culture, population, and traditions." Results of the snap parliamentary election shows that the Asian model has been chosen. Kazakh leopard is following in the steps of the Asian tigers.