The Kazakh Central Election Commission issued a ruling on 30 September certifying the eligibility of 11 presidential candidates. The most prominent of these candidates include incumbent President Nursultan Nazarbaev; Zharmakhan Tuyakbai, the leader of the opposition “For a Just Kazakhstan” bloc; parliamentarians Ualikhan Kaisarov and Erasyl Abylkasymov; businessman Salim Oten; lawyer Mekemtas Tleulesov; and Alikhan Baimenov, the leader of the Ak Zhol party (RFE-RL 10/3).

Despite the host of approved candidates, incumbent Nursultan Nazarbayev seems perfectly positioned to secure a third, seven-year term in December. Kazakhstan, like other nations in Central Asia, has a history of rigged elections, but some observers say that Nazarbayev’s popularity seems sufficiently strong at this stage and he could easily win a free-and-fair vote (Eurasianet).