Kazakh democracy movement

Kazakh democracy movement
Kazakh democracy movement
Date	16 December 1986 – present (37 years, 7 months and 4 days)
Location	1986–1991: Kazakh SSR; 1991–present: Kazakhstan
Caused by	Authoritarianism; Kleptocracy; Political repression; Corruption;
Methods	Demonstrations; Online activism;
Status	Ongoing
Parties
1986–1991:; Opposition: People of Kazakh SSR;	1986–1991:; Government: KGB;
1991–present:; Opposition: Democratic Choice; Democratic Party; Oyan, Qazaqstan; Respublika; Erkindik Kanaty; Jusan Party; FreeKazakhs; Mother's Association; LGBT activists;	1991–present:; Government: Security Council; National Security Committee; Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan; State Security Service of Kazakhstan; Ministry of Internal Affairs Police; Military Police; ;

The Kazakh democracy movement is a series of political movements in Kazakhstan that are supported by opposition groups and civil activists which are seeking for reforms in Kazakhstan's current political system, formed from 1991 after the country gained its independence from the Soviet Union and became a sovereign state by advocating for a democratic, multi-party, parliamentary system.

The movement dates back to 1986, when a group of Kazakh youth demonstrated against Gennady Kolbin's appointment as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan due to his ethnicity which resulted in protests throughout the Kazakh SSR in an event known as Jeltoqsan and was eventually followed by the calls for the country's independence amid the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Nursultan Nazarbayev would eventually become the President of Kazakhstan and serve for three decades under authoritarian regime.

Over the recent years, calls for democratic reforms have grew following the decrease in standard of living which saw rise of consistent protests in Kazakhstan that eventually resulted in Nazarbayev's resignation as well as attempted reforms by the authorities which are seen as flawed and lacking among the general public.