ASTANA, October 6 – Novosti. The Ak Zhol party of Kazakhstan at its congress on Thursday in Astana decided to nominate the incumbent head of state, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, as a candidate for early presidential elections, Novosti correspondent reports.
On Wednesday, a number of public organizations and associations announced their support for Tokayev as a presidential candidate, including the national volunteer network, the civil alliance of Kazakhstan , the council of generals, the youth association Qazaqstan team, the association of veterans of the war in Afghanistan , the union of athletes. Tokayev himself on the same day stated that he considered it right to go to the polls not from any particular organization, but from a broad coalition of socio-political forces that form the social basis of the reforms being carried out in the country. This, in his opinion, will allow “to approve the principle of equidistance of the head of state from various parties and associations.”
The ruling party “Amanat” at the congress on Thursday nominated the incumbent head of state as a candidate for early presidential elections, followed by the People’s Party of Kazakhstan nominated Tokayev as a candidate. The leader of “Amanat” Yerlan Koshanov , speaking at the closing of the congress, reported that a coalition of social and political forces had been created to nominate Tokayev.
Unlike Amanat and the People’s Party, which supported Tokayev’s candidacy on a non-alternative basis, the delegates of Ak Zhol at the congress chose from four candidates, but the president received the majority of votes.
On November 20, early presidential elections will be held in Kazakhstan. The right to nominate a presidential candidate, according to the law, belongs to registered republican public associations, including political parties.
