What 2025 Meant for Kazakhstanis: Survey Results

The DEMOSCOPE Bureau, in collaboration with the PAPERLAB Research Center, conducted a large-scale survey on the public sentiment of Kazakhstanis at the end of 2025. The results highlight the population's primary concerns and their expectations for the coming year.

Top Three Concerns of the Population

The survey shows that for the third consecutive year, the same issues continue to trouble citizens, with the severity of these problems increasing compared to last year:

• Low Income — 40.9% (up from 37.6% last year)
• High Cost of Living / Inflation — 35.6% (up from 28.3% last year)
• Corruption — 32% (up from 26.8% last year)

Additionally, respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of healthcare, worsening environmental conditions, and the lack of affordable housing.

Sporting Triumphs: The Year's Main Events

The brightest moments of the year for Kazakhstanis were related to sports. The top 5 significant events are as follows:

• FC Kairat's Success: The team qualifying for the Champions League and Real Madrid playing in Almaty — 10.8%
• Economic Pressure: Inflation and price hikes — 8.1%
• Personal Events: For 5.5% of respondents, the year was defined by personal milestones.
• Global Sporting Achievements: Gennady Golovkin's presidency at World Boxing, Elena Rybakina's victories, etc. — 4.5%
• Crime and Violence: Concerns regarding public safety — 3.6%

Political Reforms and Controversial Proposals

The President's initiative to transition to a unicameral Parliament by dissolving the Senate was supported by 40.4% of the population. However, expert Serik Beissembayev views this more as a sign of personal trust in the President (paternalism) rather than a growth in political consciousness. Notably, 40% of youth had not even heard of this reform.

Regarding the controversial proposal by a Mazhilis deputy to legalize polygamy, the public showed strong opposition. 64.2% of citizens condemned the idea, with the opposition rate among women exceeding 80%.

Quality of Life: Improvement or Decline?

A significant portion of the population believes there is a regression in several areas: Ecology (49.4%), Quality of Life (41.9%), and the Economy (39.1%). Conversely, some noticed positive changes in Education (31.7%) and Law and Security (31.7%).

Optimism Overcoming Pessimism

Despite the various challenges, 62.6% of Kazakhstanis rated 2025 as a "positive year." Looking ahead to 2026, optimism remains high: 65.5% of respondents believe the new year will be better than the current one.