So, it is still too early to post analysis of yesterday’s election; the picture should crystalize early this week. But just a few days ago, the New York Times had an excellent piece on the actions of the Kazakhstani intelligence services during the 2005 presidential elections, and the Nazarbayev regime’s approach to election observers in general. I can confirm the NYT’s description of pro-government observers brought in during this election cycle; I saw an “expert” from Russia extolling the free and orderly elections last night on Channel 1.

This is a great article, and anyone interested in Kazakhstan (or even politics in the broader post-Soviet space) should read it in its entirety.