The QDT embraced a number of influential politicians and wealthy businessmen of the country who grew disillusioned with the inner circles of President Nazarbayev.

Numerous reforms under him were proposed which was a program to diversify the country's economy, transferring part of the power to the regions, and introducing market principles for tariff formation.

In early 2000, Ablyazov and Galymzhan Zhakiyanov decided to create a movement that would advocate for reforms and seek to take power by democratic and legal methods.

What the roots of the crisis were is not clear, yet it appears that conflicts of interest between a group of reformist bureaucrats, including the akim of the Pavlodar region, Zhakiyanov; the deputy premier, Oraz Jandosov; a fugitive banker, Ablyazov; and President Nazarbayev's son-in-law, Rakhat Aliyev, prompted Ablyazov to declare the establishment of a pro-business, pro-reform movement called Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan.

The prime minister of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, harshly criticized the movement and asked the founders to resign from their government posts.

The president's decision was facilitated by wide publicity that Ablyazov's case received among the international community and the resolution of the European Parliament in his support.

QDT became split in the spring of 2002, as a group of moderate members, including Oraz Zhandosov, Bulat Abilov, and Alikhan Baimenov, established the center-right Ak Zhol Party.

But the party-led coalition of opposition forces, For a Just Kazakhstan, nominated former deputy chair of the Otan party, Zharmakhan Tuyakbay, as a presidential candidate in the elections held on 4 December 2005.