Election of the akim, count "Against all", lowering the threshold for parties: the Senate passed the law

The Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan has approved draft laws on the introduction of direct elections of akims.

According to the head of the Ministry Asset Irgaliyev, by the instructions of the president, draft laws have been developed on the introduction of direct elections of mayors of cities of district significance, villages, and rural districts.

"Akims can be elected by citizens of Kazakhstan, at least 25 years old, who meet the qualification requirements by the legislation on civil service. These can be both candidates nominated by political parties and self-nominated candidates by collecting signatures of at least 1% of the total number of eligible voters, " the minister said.

According to him, the elections will be announced 40 days in advance, and the elections themselves will be held 10 days before the expiration of the term of office of the current mayor. The election results are summed up within three days after the election. They will be held at the expense of local budgets.

In addition, the bill provides for reducing the threshold for the passage of political parties in the elections to the Majilis of the Parliament and Maslikhats - from 7% to 5%, and the "Against all" column will be added to the ballots of all levels.

"These reforms will allow to elect akims directly by the population, to increase the responsiveness of the rural akim to the problems of the population, as well as to fully implement the concept of the" Hearing State", - said the head of the Ministry of National Economy.

Recall that in February of this year, at a meeting of the National Assembly of People's Commissars, the head of state said that direct elections of district mayors should be held soon. Later it became known that in the second half of 2021, 836 akims will be elected through direct elections.

It should also be noted that in January of this year, the president announced the third package of political reforms, which referred to the introduction of the "Against all" column in elections at all levels.

A source: https://www.nur.kz/politics/kazakhstan/1913497-senat-prinyal-zakon-o-vyborah/