Dania Madiqyzy Espaeva (, ''Daniia Mädiqyzy Espaeva'', ; born 5 March 1961) is a Kazakh politician and a member of the

Mäjilis The Mäjilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan (; ), commonly shortened as Mäjilis or Mazhilis ( Kazakh Cyrillic: Мәжіліс , 'Assembly'), is the lower house of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, alongside the upper house Senate ...

serving since 24 March 2016. Her 2019 election campaign made her the first woman to be a Kazakh presidential candidate.

Biography

Espaeva was born on 5 March 1961 in the village of Jaisan in the

Martuk District Martuk (, ) is a district of Aktobe Region in Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to ...

of the

Aktobe Region Aktobe Region (; ) is a region of Kazakhstan. The name ''Aktobe'' comes from Kazakh ''aq'' 'white' and ''töbe'' 'hill' or 'top (of something)'; supposedly, Aktobe's initial settlers were able to see white mountains far to the north. The Aktobe ...

. In 1982, she graduated with honors from the Alma-Ata Credit and Accounting College and then from the Kazakh State Academy of Management of Alma-Ata with a degree in economics in 1993. From 2008 to 2016, Espaeva was a member of the Aktobe Regional Mäslihat, on the commission on family and women. Since 24 March 2016, she is a member of the

from the

Aq Jol Democratic Party The Aq Jol (, ), officially the "Aq Jol" Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (, ) is a liberal-conservative political party in Kazakhstan. The Aq Jol is led by Azat Peruaşev, a deputy of the Mäjilis. The Aq Jol party was formed in early 2002, after ...

on the Finance and Budget Committee. On 24 April 2019, Espaeva became registered as candidate for the

2019 Kazakh presidential election Snap election, Snap presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan on 9 June 2019 to elect the President of Kazakhstan following the resignation of long-term President Nursultan Nazarbayev in March 2019.

for the Aq Jol party which took place on 9 June, winning 5% of the popular vote.

Personal life

Espaeva is married and has two sons and two grandchildren.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Espaeva, Dania 1961 births Living people Ak Zhol Democratic Party politicians Kazakhstani economists 21st-century Kazakhstani women politicians 21st-century Kazakhstani politicians People from Aktobe Region Members of the Mäjilis 20th-century economists 21st-century economists Women economists Women members of the Mäjilis