| Coalition of Democratic Forces | |
| Native Name: | Демократиялық күштер коалициясы Demokratialyq küşter koalitsiasy |
| Native Name Lang: | kk |
| Founders: | Bulat Abilov Nūrjan Ältaev |
| Abbreviation: | DKK (Kazakh) KDS (Russian) |
| Ideology: | Anti-authoritarianism Liberal democracy Civic nationalism Anti-corruption |
| Affiliation1 Title: | Member parties |
| Country: | Kazakhstan |
The Coalition of Democratic Forces (Демократиялық күштер коалициясы|Demokratialyq küşter koalitsiasy, DKK; Russian: Коалиция демократических сил|Koaliciya demokraticheskikh sil, KDS) is a Kazakh opposition political alliance that was founded on 5 September 2022.[1] [2]
The DKK opposed 2022 snap presidential elections and instead promised to organise protest rallies, but in parallel to preparing a single candidate for the presidential race in case the elections would not be postponed.[3]
Following President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's 2022 State of the Nation Address where he announced his candidacy for the snap presidential elections and a constitutional amendment in extending the presidential term to seven years while making it non-renewable,[4] [5] the Coalition of Democratic Forces (DKK) was subsequently formed in response and held its first conference on 5 September 2022 in Almaty. From there, the DKK expressed its opposition in holding of snap elections as well as proposed seven-year presidential term law and instead called for the postponement of the vote to the originally scheduled date in 2024. It was attended by many opposition politicians and civil activists: Rysbek SärsenbaI, Erlan Qaliev, Bulat Abilov, Nūrjan Ältaev, Mūqtar Taijan, Güjan Ergalieva and others.[6] [7] [8] [9]
On 12 September, former Nationwide Social Democratic Party chairman Ermurat Bapi called rumours about his nomination as a presidential candidate from DKK. According to him, first they must achieve political reforms and changes in the electoral law, and then choose candidates for the elections.[10]
The DKK on 14 September attempted to hold a demonstration in Almaty against the holding of snap presidential elections but were barred from doing so by the Almaty City Administration.[11] [12]