Nursultan Nazarbayev | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Нұрсұлтан Назарбаев | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
![]() Nazarbayev in 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1st President of Kazakhstan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 16 December 1991 – 20 March 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Prime Minister | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Vice President | Yerik Asanbayev (1991–96) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established (Himself as President of the Kazakh SSR) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Kassym-Jomart Tokayev | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman of the Security Council of Kazakhstan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 21 August 1991 – 5 January 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Kassym-Jomart Tokayev | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman of Nur Otan | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 March 1999 – 28 January 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Acting | See list
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Deputy | See list
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
First Deputy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Kassym-Jomart Tokayev | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chairman of the Assembly of People | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 1 March 1995 – 28 April 2021 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Kassym-Jomart Tokayev | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honorary Chairman of the Assembly of People | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 28 April 2021 – 5 January 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Office established | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Office abolished | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Honorary Chairman of the Organization of Turkic States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In office 25 April 2019 – present[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Nursultan Äbishulych Nazarbayev 6 July 1940 Chemolgan, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Amanat (since 1999) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other political affiliations | Communist (1962–1991) Independent (1991–1999) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Children | Dariga Dinara Aliya | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Signature | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Website | nazarbayev | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Allegiance | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Branch/service | Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Years of service | 1991–2019 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rank | ![]() Supreme Commander | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Central institution membership
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev[2][note 1] (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakh politician who served as the first President of Kazakhstan, from the country's independence in 1991[3] until his formal resignation in 2019,[4] and as the Chairman of the Security Council of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2022.[5]
He held the special title of Elbasy (meaning "Leader of the Nation", Kazakh pronunciation: [jelˈbasɯ])[6] from 2010 to 2022.[7][8] Nazarbayev was one of the longest-ruling non-royal leaders in the world, having led Kazakhstan for nearly three decades, excluding chairmanship in the Security Council after the end of his presidency. He has often been referred to as a dictator due to usurpation of power and autocratic rule. Nazarbayev began his political career in 1962, joining the Communist Party of the Soviet Union while working as a factory steel worker. He held prominent positions within the party and in 1984, he was appointed as the Prime Minister of the Kazakh SSR by Dinmukhamed Kunaev. Nazarbayev became the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan in 1989. In 1990, he was elected as Kazakhstan's first president by the Supreme Soviet. Nazarbayev played a crucial role in opposing the 1991 coup d'état attempt by Soviet hardliners, which led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Nazarbayev ruled an authoritarian regime in Kazakhstan, where a pervasive cult of personality surrounded him,[9][10][11] as human rights abuses were severe, dissent was suppressed, and elections were not free and fair.[12][13] In the country's first direct presidential election, held in 1991, he appeared alone on the ballot with no opposing candidates and secured an overwhelming 98% of the vote. In 1995, he governed the country in a rule by decree, as the Supreme Council was absent. In April of that year, a presidential term referendum extended his presidency until 2000. Additionally, in August, constitutional referendum took place, significantly bolstering the executive powers through the introduction of a new draft for the Constitution of Kazakhstan. These actions consolidated Nazarbayev's authority and control over the country's political landscape. In 1999, Nazarbayev was re-elected second time for what was officially recognized as his first term, as the Constitutional Council's ruling in 2000 allowed him to run again in 2005 under the provisions of a 1995 amendment. Later, exploiting a 2007 amendment that removed term limits exclusively for Nazarbayev, he secured re-election in 2011 and 2015, serving his fourth and fifth terms as president. In 2018, the Parliament approved a constitutional amendment allowing Nazarbayev to lead the Security Council for life.
During Nazarbayev's presidency, Kazakhstan experienced a rapid economic growth in 2000s, driven by high oil prices and market-oriented reforms, establishing the country as a prominent economic power in Central Asia. Foreign investments in key industries fueled modernization and infrastructure development. Additionally, Nazarbayev's foreign policy approach emphasized maintaining good relations with major powers and actively integrating Kazakhstan into regional organizations such as the Eurasian Economic Union, the Commonwealth of Independent States and globally by becoming a member of the World Trade Organization. Moreover, he played a crucial role in nuclear disarmament efforts by renouncing the country's inherited nuclear arsenal and closing the Semipalatinsk Test Site. Despite these accomplishments, challenges persisted due to widespread corruption and nepotism linked to Nazarbayev and his family, which hindered transparency and accountability, posing significant obstacles to Kazakhstan's development. In addition, Nazarbayev's tenure also confronted a series of economic challenges, including the 2007–2008 financial crisis, the 2010s oil glut, and the Russo-Ukrainian War, in which these events contributed to the devaluation of the Kazakhstani tenge and triggered periods of inflation.
In March 2019, Nazarbayev resigned from the presidency amid anti-government rallies and was succeeded by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, a close ally of his, who overwhelmingly won the following snap presidential election in June 2019. Nazarbayev was immune from any criminal prosecution until being stripped from privileges following the 2022 constitutional referendum and continued to serve as the chairman of both the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan and Nur Otan until 2021. He also was the chairman of the Security Council until his dismissal from that post in response to the 2022 unrest.[14] He was an honorary member of the Senate of Kazakhstan and the member of the Constitutional Council until this title was stripped in 2023.[15]
The republic's Supreme Soviet elected Nazarbayev president of the Kazakh SSR on April 24, 1990.
Nazarbayev has clamped down on dissent in Kazakhstan, and the country has never held an election judged to be free or fair by the West.
Kazakhstan has never held an election that was not rigged.
Cite error: There are <ref group=note>
tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}}
template (see the help page).
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search