Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Ak Zhol
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Bright Path or Democratic Party of Kazakhstan Bright Path (Ak Zhol or Qazaqstan Demokratiyalyk Partiyasi Ak Zhol) is a political party in Kazakhstan. A dissident group in the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan Movement founded Ak Zhol in March 2002. In November 2001 anti-Nazarbayev activists founded the Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan. The radical stance of the movement was dissented by a group of moderate members who split from the movement in the spring of 2002 to form the new and rather moderate party which advocate a pro-reform, pro-business party line. The party differs from Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan in that Ak Zhol leaders refrain from openly confronting Nursultan Nazarbayev. Ak Zhol was founded by Oraz Zhandasov, Bulat Abilov and Alihan Baimenov. Later, the ex-information minister Altinbek Sarsenbayev joined the party. Ak Zhol received 12 % of the votes at the last legislative elections in September 2004. Alihan Baimenov refused to accept the only seat the party received at the 77 member Majlis. The party advocated democratization of the political system, particularly elections of governors (akims) at all levels of the administrative system.
In the spring of 2005, Sarsenbayev, Abilov and Zhandasov split from the party to form a dissident faction named Naghyz Ak Zhol (True Bright Path). At the last presidential elections on 4 December 2005 Ak Zhol did not join the coalition of opposition forces For a Just Kazakhstan and nominated Alihan Baimenov, the chair, as the party candidate. Baimenov won 1.61 % of the popular vote. One of the party leaders who later joined the Nagiz Ak Zhol party, Altinbek Sarsenbayev, was killed near Almati in February 2006 soon after the presidential elections.
