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| Longtime President of Kazakhstan Surprises Region by Resigning | Longtime President of Kazakhstan Surprises Region by Resigning |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| MOSCOW — After 30 years in power, the aging president of Kazakhstan jolted the oil-rich former Soviet republic and the region at large on Tuesday with the surprise announcement that he was resigning. | MOSCOW — After 30 years in power, the aging president of Kazakhstan jolted the oil-rich former Soviet republic and the region at large on Tuesday with the surprise announcement that he was resigning. |
| Nursultan Nazarbayev, 78, the last surviving president in Central Asia to have steered his country to independence after the Soviet Union collapsed, stepped away from running daily affairs, but maintained considerable authority over the sprawling country sandwiched between Russia and China. | Nursultan Nazarbayev, 78, the last surviving president in Central Asia to have steered his country to independence after the Soviet Union collapsed, stepped away from running daily affairs, but maintained considerable authority over the sprawling country sandwiched between Russia and China. |
| While Kazakhs welcomed the announcement as the potential start of a new era, analysts surmised that the Kremlin would see it in a negative light by drawing attention to the nearly 20-year-old leadership of President Vladimir V. Putin and his lack of a clear succession plan. | While Kazakhs welcomed the announcement as the potential start of a new era, analysts surmised that the Kremlin would see it in a negative light by drawing attention to the nearly 20-year-old leadership of President Vladimir V. Putin and his lack of a clear succession plan. |
| Mr. Nazarbayev called the decision to resign difficult. | Mr. Nazarbayev called the decision to resign difficult. |
| “As the founder of the independent Kazakh state, I see my task now in facilitating the rise of a new generation of leaders who will continue the reforms that are underway in the country,” Mr. Nazarbayev said in a nationally televised speech that soon led the news in neighboring Russia as well. “Until my dying day, I will stay with you. The concerns of the people will stay my concerns.” | “As the founder of the independent Kazakh state, I see my task now in facilitating the rise of a new generation of leaders who will continue the reforms that are underway in the country,” Mr. Nazarbayev said in a nationally televised speech that soon led the news in neighboring Russia as well. “Until my dying day, I will stay with you. The concerns of the people will stay my concerns.” |
| Mr. Nazarbayev said he would hand over his presidential powers immediately to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of the parliament, which always approves Mr. Nazarbayev’s actions. Mr. Tokayev, 65, a former prime minister and foreign minister, will serve as acting president until elections scheduled for 2020. | Mr. Nazarbayev said he would hand over his presidential powers immediately to Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of the parliament, which always approves Mr. Nazarbayev’s actions. Mr. Tokayev, 65, a former prime minister and foreign minister, will serve as acting president until elections scheduled for 2020. |
| Mr. Nazarbayev, a steelworker and Communist Party leader who rose to power in Kazakhstan in 1989, when it was still part of the Soviet Union, will continue as chairman of the powerful Security Council as well of president of the Nur Otan party, which dominates the country. | Mr. Nazarbayev, a steelworker and Communist Party leader who rose to power in Kazakhstan in 1989, when it was still part of the Soviet Union, will continue as chairman of the powerful Security Council as well of president of the Nur Otan party, which dominates the country. |
| “The real levers of power remain in his hands,” said Irina Petrushova, the founding editor of Respublika, a now-defunct independent newspaper. | “The real levers of power remain in his hands,” said Irina Petrushova, the founding editor of Respublika, a now-defunct independent newspaper. |
| During his autocratic rule, he won repeated elections with nearly 100 percent of the vote each time, often jailing political opponents or journalists who criticized him. Mr. Nazarbayev attracted enormous investments from foreign energy companies to develop the nation’s oil reserves, which, at an estimated 30 billion barrels, are among the largest of all the former Soviet republics. | During his autocratic rule, he won repeated elections with nearly 100 percent of the vote each time, often jailing political opponents or journalists who criticized him. Mr. Nazarbayev attracted enormous investments from foreign energy companies to develop the nation’s oil reserves, which, at an estimated 30 billion barrels, are among the largest of all the former Soviet republics. |
| In foreign policy, Kazakhstan adroitly balanced between its two giant neighbors, Russia and China, while also maintaining friendly ties with the United States. | In foreign policy, Kazakhstan adroitly balanced between its two giant neighbors, Russia and China, while also maintaining friendly ties with the United States. |
| That juggling act is expected to continue whether he is succeeded by a relative or a close political ally. Possible successors from his rich but unpopular family include his oldest daughter, Dariga Nazarbayeva, or his nephew, Samat Abish, the deputy head of the National Security Committee. | |
| Analysts suggested two main reasons for Mr. Nazarbayev’s decision to step aside now. First, he wants to organize an orderly transition that will preserve his legacy. After Islam Karimov, another Soviet-era autocrat in neighboring Uzbekistan, died in office in 2016, Mr. Nazarbayev watched as the Uzbeks jailed the former president’s allies and dismantled his security services. | Analysts suggested two main reasons for Mr. Nazarbayev’s decision to step aside now. First, he wants to organize an orderly transition that will preserve his legacy. After Islam Karimov, another Soviet-era autocrat in neighboring Uzbekistan, died in office in 2016, Mr. Nazarbayev watched as the Uzbeks jailed the former president’s allies and dismantled his security services. |
| “He was conscious of his own international prestige,” said Marlene Laruelle, the director of the Central Asia Program at George Washington University in Washington. “He thought it would be good to be remembered as a president who stepped aside and did not die in power.” | “He was conscious of his own international prestige,” said Marlene Laruelle, the director of the Central Asia Program at George Washington University in Washington. “He thought it would be good to be remembered as a president who stepped aside and did not die in power.” |
| Second, although Kazakhstan enjoys considerable oil wealth, the economy has stagnated in recent years with widespread public grumbling about a low living standard and poor social services. | Second, although Kazakhstan enjoys considerable oil wealth, the economy has stagnated in recent years with widespread public grumbling about a low living standard and poor social services. |
| Mr. Nazarbayev fired his entire Cabinet in February for having failed to address social problems, but “did not want to become the punching bag” attacked by the public as those issues persist, said Cliff Kupchan, chairman of the Eurasia Group, a Washington-based consulting group that analyzes political risk. | Mr. Nazarbayev fired his entire Cabinet in February for having failed to address social problems, but “did not want to become the punching bag” attacked by the public as those issues persist, said Cliff Kupchan, chairman of the Eurasia Group, a Washington-based consulting group that analyzes political risk. |
| Having endured three decades of the same ruler, Kazakhs, especially those politically active over the years, hoped for change. “After 30 years of a total swamp, any movement is positive,” said Ms. Petrushova. | Having endured three decades of the same ruler, Kazakhs, especially those politically active over the years, hoped for change. “After 30 years of a total swamp, any movement is positive,” said Ms. Petrushova. |
| In Moscow, Dmitri S. Peskov, the spokesman for President Putin, said the Russian leader had called Mr. Nazarbayev, but refused to comment further. The resignation was welcomed in Russia by members of civil society, which is also grappling with an increasingly domineering state. | In Moscow, Dmitri S. Peskov, the spokesman for President Putin, said the Russian leader had called Mr. Nazarbayev, but refused to comment further. The resignation was welcomed in Russia by members of civil society, which is also grappling with an increasingly domineering state. |
| “To leave alive, independently and with dignity, even without going far away — this is probably the greatest mastery for a leader of a country like Kazakhstan. Or Russia,” wrote Max Trudolyubov, a Russian political commentator, on Facebook. | “To leave alive, independently and with dignity, even without going far away — this is probably the greatest mastery for a leader of a country like Kazakhstan. Or Russia,” wrote Max Trudolyubov, a Russian political commentator, on Facebook. |
| Analysts suggested that the change would exert pressure on the Kremlin, which once ruled Kazakhstan and was the model for its repressive system, to address the succession issue. | Analysts suggested that the change would exert pressure on the Kremlin, which once ruled Kazakhstan and was the model for its repressive system, to address the succession issue. |
| Mr. Nazarbayev was “sending out the image that Russia is unable to find a solution while Kazakhstan has,” said Ms. Laruelle, even if Mr. Putin, at 66, is much younger and was just elected last year to another six-year term. “It is indirectly, symbolically, putting pressure on the Kremlin.” | Mr. Nazarbayev was “sending out the image that Russia is unable to find a solution while Kazakhstan has,” said Ms. Laruelle, even if Mr. Putin, at 66, is much younger and was just elected last year to another six-year term. “It is indirectly, symbolically, putting pressure on the Kremlin.” |