Kazakhstan president Nazarbayev steps down after 30 years in power
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev officially claimed that he gives up his authority as the head of the state. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of parliament, will take over as the country’s acting president.
Censor.NET reports, citing Interfax.
Nursultan Nazarbayev has led the oil-rich country since the fall of the Soviet Union, first as its Communist leader and then as president. He made the announcement in a surprise public address on national television on Tuesday evening.
"I have taken a decision, which was not easy for me, to resign as president," Nazarbayev said. "This year it will be 30 years since I took on [the country’s] highest post. The people gave me the opportunity to be the first president of independent Kazakhstan," said Nazarbayev.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of parliament, will take over as the country’s acting president for the remainder of his term in line with the constitution, Nazarbayev said.
photo: NUR.KZ
Nazarbayev will not exit the government entirely, however. He said he would continue to chair the security council and remain leader of the Nur Otan party, which dominates parliament, in an apparent attempt to preserve his influence and guarantee his security in the years after a new leader, likely to be handpicked, takes power.
The 78-year-old led the country through the economic turbulence of the 1990s while consolidating his hold on power in a series of elections that began to resemble coronations. He was last elected in 2015 with 97.7% of the vote. Though credited with maintaining stability and ethnic peace in Kazakhstan, he has faced criticism for suppressing dissent and sidelining the opposition.
The resignation comes just weeks after the ageing strongman dismissed the country’s government. Last month Nazarbayev announced a spending package of several billion dollars on social programmes and state salaries. He also promised major investments in infrastructure.
