Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a law on Saturday under which the capital, Astana, will be renamed in a break with the legacy of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who previously named the capital, Nursultan in 2019.
Known for its skyscrapers in the middle of the plains of northern Kazakhstan, Astana took the name of Nur Sultan in March 2019 after the name of the former president after leaving power.
The presidency stated on its website that Tokayev has signed this law, which includes constitutional amendments that also specify the term of office of the President of the Republic at seven years, non-renewable after five years, renewable twice in a row.
On Friday, the Kazakh parliament approved these amendments.
On September 1, President Tokayev announced his support for reducing the mandate to a non-renewable seven-year term and also proposed holding early presidential elections next fall.
But the latest proposal has not yet been officially confirmed.
Nazarbayev, 82, ruled the former Soviet republic with an iron fist from its independence in 1991 until 2019.
The new president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 69, came to power following the sudden resignation of his predecessor, gradually moving away from Nazarbayev’s legacy by introducing reforms and excluding the former president’s powerful camp.
This turnaround was particularly evident after the bloody riots that rocked Kazakhstan last January, the causes of which are still ambiguous.
In particular, Nursultan Nazarbayev has given up the title of “leader of the nation”.
Many close to him were excluded from sensitive positions and the son of one of his brothers was arrested on suspicion of embezzlement.
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