Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has promised reforms, together with limiting his personal energy and strengthening parliament’s after anti-government riots a 12 months in the past.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has dissolved the decrease home of parliament and known as snap elections on March 19.
The announcement on Thursday got here a 12 months after protests towards rising gasoline costs escalated into anti-government riots that killed 238 folks.
The president’s press service introduced Tokayev’s decree and revealed a message from him, saying he hopes the snap elections “will give new impetus to the modernisation” of the pure resource-rich nation.
Tokayev had stated he would dissolve the chamber, known as the Majjlis and elected in 2021, after he oversaw constitutional reforms in 2022 following three many years of rule by his predecessor, Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Tokayev has been in workplace since 2019 was re-elected in November after successful 80 p.c of the vote in an election criticised for its lack of aggressive candidates.
He promised to reform “all the primary establishments of energy”, together with limiting his personal energy and strengthening parliament, however authoritarian tendencies and financial difficulties persist.
Ties with Moscow
Additionally on Thursday, a Kazakh political get together kicked out one in every of its deputies after he expressed help for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Member of Parliament Azamat Abildayev informed Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty this month that he supported Russia’s “particular army operation” in Ukraine and described Kyiv’s authorities as “Nazis”, repeating a Kremlin speaking level.
The opposition get together, Ak Zhol, stated it mentioned Abildayev’s feedback and determined to expel him.
In line with a survey revealed final month by Kazakh polling agency Demoscope, extra Kazakhs help Ukraine within the battle than Russia, so Abildayev’s feedback may damage Ak Zhol’s prospects within the snap parliamentary elections.
Kazkhstan has shut ties with Russia, however its authorities has not supported the invasion or recognised Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territories that Kyiv and its allies name “unlawful”. As an alternative, Kazakhstan has known as for peace.