Демократия будет только там, где она нужна

The article is devoted to the problems of the electoral legislation in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The author draws attention to contradictions between the current legal norms and democratic principles. Based on the analysis of Kazakhstani and foreign practices, conclusions are made that elections in Kazakhstan have lost their democratic essence and require substantial reform. Institutional and procedural barriers restricting participation in presidential elections are discussed. The author substantiates the need for a new model of power formation based on representation and accountability. A new mechanism involving labor collectives in nominating candidates is also proposed. Keywords: electoral legislation, Kazakhstan, elections, democracy, authoritarianism, candidates, president, parliament, reforms, tribalism.