Long-serving leader: Nursultan, the only leader that independent Kazakhstan has ever known, announced his resignation on March 19, after three decades in power. — AP
Just two days ago I had an interesting chat with Daniyar Sarekenov, Ambassador of Kazakstan regarding the topic of leadership. Nursultan Nazarbayev, President of Kazakstan had relinquished his duties as Head of State/President on March 19 before the next presidential election scheduled for 2020.
Nursultan had been President since the fall of the Soviet Union Empire when Kazakstan declared independence in Dec 1991. For 28 years Nursultan ruled in an authoritarian manner, won five presidential elections with massive landslides and his Nur Otan party and affiliates dominating the lower and upper house in Parliament with minimal opposition.
