As Kazakhstan heads to the polls, new boss looks a bit like old boss
- Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, interim president, looks likely to be confirmed in the job after being hand-picked for the post by former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev
- There are no opposition parties in the Kazakh parliament and Western observers have never recognised elections in the country as free and fair
After being sworn-in as interim president, Tokayev demonstrated his loyalty to Nazarbayev by leading the move to rename the capital, Astana, as Nur-Sultan – without any public consultation. Then, in April, the 66-year-old called a snap election “to remove any uncertainty” about the handover of power.
He faces six other candidates in Sunday’s polls, though none is seen as a serious challenger. Such a managed succession has prompted a rare surge in protests by activists angered by what they see as a lack of democracy and genuine choice in the elections.
Nazarbayev has also been careful to retain key powers for himself. He is still head of the national security council and remains leader of the ruling Nur Otan party, of which Tokayev is a member. The ex-president also took personal control of the oil-rich nation’s sovereign wealth fund last month and has been named “Yelbasy”, or head of the nation.
He insists he won’t overshadow Tokayev in office, telling campaign officials that there’s “only one president in the country, we won’t allow any dual authority” at a meeting of the ruling party on May 25. “We’ll all help the president,” he added.