Kazakh President Nazarbayev Resigns Unexpectedly

Nursultan Nazarbayev, the President of Kazakhstan has resigned, having announced his decision in a televized address on March 19.

Nazarbayev, 78, has been in power for over 30 years and his resignation was unexpected.

While speaking about his resignation, he noted: “Until my dying day, I will stay with you. The concerns of the people will remain my concerns,” he said. 

He added that that the speaker of the upper parliament chamber, Qasym-Zhomart Toqaev, will hold presidential authority for the time being. The next presidential election is due to be held in 2020.

"I remain Chairman of the Security Council, which has been granted serious authority," he said.

Nazarbayev has led Kazakhstan since 1989, first as the leader of its Communist Party and then as President. He has attracted enormous investments from foreign energy companies to develop the nation’s oil reserves, which, at an estimated 30 billion barrels, are among the largest of all the former Soviet republics.

By Thea Morrison

Photo source: Reuters