Azerbaijan, Baku, March 4 /Trend, E.Ostapenko/
The first phase of the current presidential campaign in Kazakhstan differs from the previous with increase in the number of candidates for the presidency, including women, as well as a large number of candidates who are not engaged in public-political activities.
However, the absence of a clear program and strategy of most of the candidates, as well as the removal of many of their candidates says about that their goal was not the presidency, but only the opportunity to present their selves, Director of the Kazakh Alternative Research Center Andrei Chebotarev said.
"Lack of a clear political program suggests that the motives of most of the presidential candidates are of psychological plane rather than political," Chebotarev said.
The first stage of the presidential campaign - candidate registration was closed on Wednesday. Election campaign, which will end two days before the election day, was launched on March 3.
Four candidates passed registration at the Kazakh Central Election Commission (CEC) and will continue to struggle in the early presidential elections scheduled for April 3. The candidates are Nursultan Nazarbayev, Communist Zhambyl Ahmetbekov, and Leader of the Patriots Party, Senator Gani Kasimov and Tabiyat Ecological Union leader Mels Eleusizov.
Based on Chebotarev's information, about 717,000 signatures have been collected in support of Nazarbayev, Kasimov - about 100,000, Eleusizov - about 98,000 and Ahmetbekov - 96,500.
The analysis of the 1999 presidential elections shows the growth dynamics in the number of those running for president. Then eight people nominated their candidacy, 2005 - 18 people, and this year the CEC has received applications from 22 candidates. The number of women aspiring to the presidency increased from three to four people since 2005, Chebotarev said.
The socio-political organizations nominated only four candidates in 2011: Nazarbayev of the Nur Otan Party, Kasimov - Patrits Party, Ahmetbekov - the Communist Party and Kurmangazy Rakhmetov -the People's Patriotic Movement "Zheltoksan".
The other candidates stood for election as a self-nominated, many of whom do not have a certain socio-political status and are not known to the electorate, Chebotarev said.
"All the candidates are united by the lack of a clear political position, which does not consider any of them as an alternative to Nazarbayev, at least from this perspective," Chebotarev said. "In their nomination, there is also not seen the use of any political technologies in support of either the Head of State or his opponents."
Therefore, the main motives of most candidates for the Kazakh presidency in connection with their attempts to run for president are probably not in the political, but in the psychological plane, he said.
Based on the legislation, candidates must collect at least 91,000 voters' signatures, equally representing not less than 9 out of 14 oblasts and the cities of Astana and Almaty; submit a declaration of income and assets to the tax authorities and pay the election fee 800,000 tenge (about $ 5,500).
Pre-election campaigning, Chebotarev said, will be held between the three candidates , who are alternative to Nazarbayev - Kasimov, Ahmetbekov and Eleusizov. Incumbent President Nazarbayev has no need to hold any campaign events, as there is no doubt in support of his candidacy by a majority of voters,he said.
70-year-old Nazarbayev is in power for over 20 years. According to polls, the president enjoys the support of 90 percent of the population. Last year he was awarded the status of "Leader of the Nation".
Nazarbayev on Tuesday refused to personally participate in campaign events, explaining that the main theses of his election he had announced in his annual address to the people of Kazakhstan in February.
Chebotarev said the election campaign will be quiet and low intensity.
"If there was a definite struggle between the government and the opposition in the presidential elections of 1999 and 2005, then the principal opposition does not participate in the elections of 2011, thus no need to expect serious counter-measures by the authorities," he added.
