Kazakh president wins re-election, promises more political reform — RT Russia and the former Soviet Union
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev says he will introduce fundamental economic and constitutional changes
Kazakhstan is entering a new political era as all major institutions of power are set to be reformed, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev promised after winning a landslide victory in the country’s recent snap elections.
Sunday’s poll, described as “fair and open” by the incumbent leader, ended with more than 81 percent of the vote for Tokayev, according to results released Monday by the country’s election commission.
As the preliminary results were announced, Tokayev visited the Republican public headquarters, where he thanked the country for expressing its confidence in him and promised that the nation would move to a new political system.
“We will clearly and systematically implement the constitutional reforms,” Tokayev said, referring to a series of amendments that were introduced after violent unrest rocked the country earlier this year.
Previously, he had insisted on the need to change the “super-presidential” republic into a more balanced republic and suggested limiting the length of time a person could serve as president. Under the proposed changes, the presidential office will be limited to a single term of seven years.
“We are moving to a new form of the country’s political system. Fundamental changes will occur in the economy. We will improve the well-being of citizens,” proclaimed the leader, adding that to do this, the nation needed more unity.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Tokayev on his re-election, noting that he had received a mandate of confidence from the Kazakh people, which opens up the possibility for him to advance his vision for the development of the nation.
Putin added that the strategic partnership and alliance between Russia and Kazakhstan, which is based on “traditions of friendship, mutual respect and good neighbourliness”, were developing “with great success.”
Tokayev first came to power in 2019, taking office after the decades-long rule of Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. After a wave of civil unrest in January this year, Tokayev announced snap elections in September. In the first half of next year, the country is also expected to hold parliamentary elections.
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