Nazarbayev steps down as leader of Kazakhstan’s ruling party

Nur-Sultan, Nov 23 (EFE).- Kazakhstan’s former president Nursultan Nazarbayev on Tuesday stepped down as leader of the ruling Nur Otan party and proposed that the current head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, take his place.

“During an extended meeting of the party’s political council, Nursultan Nazarbayev decided to hand over the powers of the president of Nur Otan and proposed for the leadership of the party the president of the country,” Nazarbayev spokesman Aidos Ukibay reported on Twitter.

Ukibay added that “the procedure for the transfer of powers will be carried out in accordance with the party’s statute.”

According to the statutes, matters related to the election and removal of the party president are decided during Nur Otan congresses.

Nur Otan, the largest party in Kazakhstan, was founded on Nazarbayev’s initiative in 1999. In the last parliamentary elections held in January, the ruling party obtained 71% of the citizens’ votes.

Nazarbayev, 81, came to power in the Soviet republic of Kazakhstan in 1989 and, once independence was proclaimed in 1991, assumed the presidency of the largest country in Central Asia, which he held until 2019.

After resigning the leadership of Nur Otan, Nazarbayev, known as “Elbasy” (leader of the nation) in Kazakhstan, will maintain the positions of president of the Security Council of the country and member of the Constitutional Council.

kk-aj/cae/jrh