Former Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (81) steps down as leader of the ruling party, Nursultan Nazarbayev. in a 2019 He unexpectedly resigned from the post of president. Nazarbayev, who has controlled the Central Asian country for decades, will remain at the helm of the Security Council. So it is unclear how much power Nazarbayev holds in the background.

The leadership of the party will be handed over to President Tokayev (68 years), who previously worked as a diplomat. Since taking office, a number of democratic reforms have been implemented, including the abolition of the death penalty. Despite this, the oil-rich country still known As a strict and authoritarian regime.

decades in power

Nazarbayev has led Kazakhstan since 1989, initially as leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan and from 1990 as president. Over the years, he repeatedly won the presidential election, according to official results, with Nazarbayev receiving almost all the votes. Foreign observers have consistently described elections as undemocratic.

The absolute ruler managed to maintain good relations with both the West and Russia during his presidency. The country is particularly famous for its role in space travel. To the south is the world’s largest rocket launch site, Baikonur, where cosmonaut Andre Kuipers set out on his missions to the International Space Station.

In honor of his predecessor, President Tokayev renamed the country’s capital from Astana to “Nur-Sultan”.