Polytical ananlyst, Secretary of Nur Otan ruling party Erlan KARIN:
"TALKS OF EARLY PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION OUTPACE DISCUSSION ON FURTHER POLITICAL MODERNIZATION"
The recent presidential election in Kazakhstan has demonstrated the need for political reform, especially in the run-up to the parliamentary election. Political analyst, Secretary of the Nur Otan party Erlan Karin has shared with Interfax-Kazakhstan his vision of the changes needed to the electoral law, the current state of the political system and its prospects.
- Erlan Tynymbayuly, after the presidential election political analysts started to discuss an early parliamentary election. The president recently said that the parliamentary election would be held on schedule, meaning in 2012, but some analysts are now talking about possible self-dissolution of the parliament. Do you think self-dissolution of the parliament is really necessary?
- Firstly, I would like to emphasize that there is no discussion. There are individual opinions and comments and no more than that. Today the topic is discussed only at the expert level, though without any serious arguments. Let us not forget that possible dissolution of the parliament has been forecasted for the last three years and we can now see what those forecasts are worth. There are no premises or reasons for the dissolution of the parliament, but rumors of it distract us from the critical issue: political modernization; especially since the president has repeatedly promised to continue political reform. So, the key issues, around which the expert discussion should revolve, are the development of the party system, reform of the electoral law and possibly even lowering the election threshold. There is no point now in talking about elections without discussing the content of the anticipated reform. Elections for the sake of elections?! Why?!
- Another topic in active discussion today is the possibility of a merger of a number of pro-government parties with Nur Otan. What would be the meaning of such a step?
- In fact, the issue of merger or reformatting is relevant not for the pro-government block, but for the opposition as the past presidential election has revealed serious problems within it. Moreover, experts are talking of a certain public demand for a new opposition with new leaders. And that is not by accident as today's crisis within the opposition may result in a vacuum that will be filled by new political forces.
- How many parties do you think have a chance to make it to the next parliament?
- I believe a parliament with more than two parties would best represent the existing broad spectrum of opinion in the Kazakhstani public.
- Does it mean that you do not agree with the president's advisor on political issues Ermukhamet Ertysbayev who suggested forming a two-party system in Kazakhstan consisting of Nur Otan on the one hand and the Economic Union Atameken transformed into a political party on the other?
- As a political expert, I believe that given the current level of political development and social differentiation in the country, the political structure cannot be limited to just two parties. I anticipate the formation of several prospective political ideologiesЕ For example, ten years ago we were talking about the liberal platform as such, while today we have several trends in that ideology. Can a two-party system effectively reflect all the existing views and positions? It seems doubtful.
- Could you comment on the appointment of the chairman of the National Economic Chamber Atameken Union Timur Kulibayev as head of the state fund Samruk-Kazyna? Some see it as a consolidation of the president's son's-in-law positions in power and consider Kulibayev a potential successor to the presidential post.
- Firstly, as I understand the explanation behind such rumors is the discussion in the expert community of the so-called post-Nazarbayev Kazakhstan. I have repeatedly said that just mechanically looking for a successor is the wrong way to go. The crucial task is to ensure the preservation of the current political course.
Secondly, as for Timur Kulibayev, the speculations around him as a potential successor would be justified, if he had been appointed to the Senate or the government. As long as Kulibayev is ascending the career ladder within the structure where he has worked for many years, it is hard to see any underlying political cause here. It is a technical appointment more than anything else. Sometimes experts are trying to see what does not exist in reality and this case is a good example of that.
- Thank you for this interview!
April, 2011
й 2011 Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency
References are obligatory
April, 2011
© 2024 Interfax-Kazakhstan news agency
Copying and use of these materials without reference to the source is prohibited
Archive
