Tokayev’s path: Kazakhstan’s incumbent president wins elections

Extraordinary presidential elections were held in Kazakhstan. The incumbent President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev spoke about them in a message to the people on September 1. And on October 11, the registration of candidates was closed. The opposition has no chance to consolidate around an alternative figure. In addition to Tokayev, there are five more candidates on the ballots, all of them are not very well-known public figures. Tokayev did not attend the November 11 debate. True, instead of himself, he sent the head of the election headquarters, chairman of the lower house of parliament Yerlan Koshanov.

In June, a referendum initiated by Tokayev was held, which increased the presidential term from five to seven years. But since the elections are held ahead of schedule, two years earlier than planned, in fact, his powers will expire at the same time as if he were re-elected in the next elections under the old law. In January, in an interview with the Khabar 24 TV channel, Tokayev promised that he would not rule for more than two terms, and in fact he keeps his word. Although his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who headed the Kazakh SSR in 1989, also promised to retire from time to time, which did not prevent him from holding power for three decades. But taking into account Tokayev’s age, he will end his last presidential term according to the constitution at about the same age at which Nazarbayev left the post of head of state.