Kazakh ex-president to hand over ruling party leadership to successor

Kazakhstan's former president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, will hand over his role as the leader of the ruling Nur Otan party to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Nazarbayev's spokesman said on Tuesday. The move will strengthen the position of former diplomat Tokayev, 68, as Nur Otan dominates Kazakhstan's parliament.

Kazakhstan's former president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, will hand over his role as the leader of the ruling Nur Otan party to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Nazarbayev's spokesman said on Tuesday. Nazarbayev, 81, had run the oil-rich Central Asian nation for almost three decades before abruptly resigning in 2019 and nominating his loyal ally Tokayev as his successor.

However, he has until now retained the party leadership role and remains the head of the Security Council, with sweeping powers. The move will strengthen the position of former diplomat Tokayev, 68, as Nur Otan dominates Kazakhstan's parliament.