Presidential elections in Kazakhstan: Central Asia entered into a new phase of stability
By Agha Iqrar Haroon
Development experts of Central Asia and eastern Europe have expressed satisfaction over the presidential elections of Kazakhstan where Nursultan Nazarbayev has been re-elected as the after he secured 97.7 percent votes in the presidential election held on Sunday and Central Election Commission has officially released results.
Nazarbayev’s latest win was celebrated across the country of 17 million with fireworks and flash mobs, with some saying people were genuinely pleased with the outcome.
A recent Ipsos MORI survey poll showed 91 percent of Kazakhs were either satisfied or very satisfied with his performance.
Nursultan Nazarbayev has been Kazakhstan’s president since December 1991 when he was elected as the country’s first president following its independence from the Soviet Union.
The sixth presidential election in Kazakhstan was scheduled to be held across the country in 2016; however, it was conducted a year earlier than scheduled. The decision to hold an early election came after advisory body Kazakhstan People’s Assembly said that the president required “a new mandate of people’s trust to ensure the country can withstand the period of global hardship.”
Central Asian experts are of the view that peaceful elections in Kazakhstan and continuation of power will help this important region to stand as stable place because both major countries of the region— Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have chosen right persons who understand geopolitical situation deeply and have good relations between them.
