Daniyar Ashimbaev questions the myth that southerners have historically ruled Kazakhstan. He argues that facts and statistics do not support the dominance of southern elites.
The political scientist notes that during the Soviet period, when the first leader of the republic was a southerner, the composition of the elite remained diverse: northerners made up almost half, southerners 15-20%, and western groups about 25-30%.
Ashimbaev also examines the eras of Dinmukhamed Kunayev and Nursultan Nazarbayev. Neither of these leaders belonged to the largest southern clans, which reduced the risks of accusations of tribalism, and the personnel policy was based on a balanced approach to distributing influence among regions.
As for the modern context, according to the expert, there are no significant changes in the distribution of power.
“The regional balance remains stable, approximately 43% / 32% / 25%,” emphasizes Ashimbaev.
Thus, he concludes that the phrase “the country is ruled by southerners” is more of a political cliché than a reflection of reality, and the power system in Kazakhstan has historically been based on the distribution of influence among various regions.
The post Who Really Rules Kazakhstan? Expert Debunks a Common Myth first appeared on K-News.
