Party System Transformation in Central Asian Countries in the Context of Strengthening Political Regimes

Introduction. The problems of the development of the political systems of the Central Asian countries have now become particularly relevant in the context of global political tension. Due to its geographical location, the region is becoming an arena of competition for influence between major powers, economic blocs and multinational corporations. The purpose of the study is to determine the vector of changes in the party and political systems of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and its impact on the transformation of the party and political system. Materials and Methods. The empirical basis of the article is the analysis of the results of the presidential and parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in 2019‒2022, as well as the political reform programs announced by the leaders of these countries who came to power as a result of these elections. The authors’ research strategy is based on neo-institutional analysis, which allows us to identify not only the formal parameters of the political system, but also the informal interactions of political actors. Results. Three stages of the formation of political systems in the post-Soviet period have been identified and described. The common features of their institutionalization and functioning are revealed: the ongoing process of party-building of political institutions, accompanied by changes in the constitutional system, a combination of liberalization and exclusion of the opposition from the political process, and in some cases a ban on the activities of opposition parties. The specific feature of the evolution of party systems in the republics lies in the fragmentary adaptation of Western institutions. Discussion and Conclusion. It is revealed that the neo-patrimonial nature of political regimes has affected the functioning of party systems. At all stages of their evolution, an important role in the direction of their development was played by the executive branch, which was characterized by a high degree of personalization. A distinctive example was Kyrgyzstan, where parties sought and had the opportunity to influence the activities of political institutions, which was especially evident during the presidency of A. Atambayev. After the change of leaders in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the powers of the parties and their impact on the formation of parliaments and governments began to gradually increase, which also affected the party landscape in Central Asian countries. The article is of interest to researchers in the field of party building in the post-Soviet space, the political systems of Central Asian countries, as well as political and public figures interested in this topic.