Kazakhstan’s interim president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, called a snap presidential election for June 9 on Tuesday.
“In order to secure a social and political accord, confidently move forward, and deal with socio-economic development tasks, it is necessary to eliminate any uncertainty,” Tokayev, 65, said in a televised address to the nation.
The former speaker of parliament’s upper chamber assumed the presidency last month after the surprise resignation of veteran leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had run the ex-Soviet republic for almost three decades.
Nazarbayev, 78, retains sweeping powers in the country of 18 million as the official “national leader”, chair of its security council and head of the ruling Nur Otan party.
Nazarbayeva, elder daughter of Nursultan Nazarbayev, became Senate Speaker after previous Speaker Kassym-Jomart Tokayev became the new president following Nazarbayev's resignation on 19 March 2019.
She regarded by analysts as a potential president one day. Tokayev has not confirmed he will be standing to continue as president, although that is widely assumed in local political circles.