Nazarbayev’s successor has an impressive foreign profile
Musavir Wani
NUR-SULTAN: Incumbent Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev received 70.76 percent of the vote (6,504,024 votes) in Kazakhstan’s June 9 presidential election, said Central Election Commission (CEC) Deputy Chairman Konstantin Petrov at a June 10 CEC briefing on preliminary election results.
The preliminary results indicate that Tokayev has won a clear victory among the seven candidates. He held the lead in the nationwide exit poll results released earlier in the day, in which he was expected to secure 70.13 percent of the vote.
The CEC preliminary results show that Amirzhan Kossanov of the Ult Tagdyry United National Patriotic Movement received 16.02 percent of the vote (1,472,733 votes), Daniya Yespayeva of the Ak Zhol Democratic Party received 5.2 percent (478,153), Toleutai Rakhimbekov of the Auyl (Village) Party received 3.2 percent (294,271), Amangeldy Taspikhov of the Kazakh Trade Unions Federation received 2.07 percent (190,304), Zhambyl Akhmetbekov of the Communist People’s Party of Kazakhstan received 1.82 percent (167,248) and Sadybek Tugel of the Uly Dala Kyrandary (Eagles of the Great Steppe) Public Association received 0.92 percent (84,348).
“Tokayev reaffirmed his intention to engage in a dialogue with society and his tolerance toward dissent, especially toward differing views from young people,” said Kossanov upon learning of the results, referring to Tokayev’s recent Tweets on his vision for youth and civil society’s greater role in driving the country’s reforms toward better living standards. “Therefore, I would like to congratulate him on his victory (according to preliminary election results). I think his words about the need for a dialogue between society and the government are not just talk but will be realised. We, as the political opposition and democratic force, will be ready for this collective struggle.”
Tokayev was already congratulated by phone by several heads of state, including Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.
Ballot counting was carried out within 12 hours. Voter turnout was 77.4 percent, with 9,261,460 of the 11,960,364 registered voters having voted, including 160,203 young voters casting their ballots for the first time. The country’s 9,968 polling stations were made accessible to 12,061 voters with special needs, including 3,502 voters requiring wheelchair access, 4,361 voters with visual impairment and 3,425 voters with hearing impairment.
The final results must be released within 10 days of election day. Tokayev brings an impressive resume as former prime minister, foreign minister, and speaker of the Senate. Kazakhstan has long tried to strike a balance between its two towering neighbors, Russia and China, while also maintaining strong ties with the United States. As a career diplomat who studied in Moscow during the Soviet Union and is considered an expert on China, he brings decades of experience and an established rapport with Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Xi Jinping of China.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev commented on the date of his inauguration, “We are planning to hold the inauguration ceremony on June 12. Of course, if the Central Election Commission will fulfill its task, count the votes and publish the report [on the results of the presidential election],” Tokayev said. He went on to explain the choice of the date for the ceremony. “On the 14th of June I must jet off to Bishkek and, then, to Dushanbe where big international events are set to be held,” said Tokayev, adding that he is expected to be there in the capacity of the President.”
Author is editor with Media Hub Int’l
