Kazakhstan’s president has announced his retirement after nearly 30 years as leader of the central Asian nation. Nursultan Nazarbayev has led the oil-rich country since the fall of the Soviet Union, first as its Communist leader and then as president. He made the announcement in a surprise public address on national television on Tuesday evening.

“I have taken a decision, which was not easy for me, to resign as president,” Nazarbayev said. “This year it will be 30 years since I took on [the country’s] highest post. The people gave me the opportunity to be the first president of independent Kazakhstan.” The 78-year-old led the country through the economic turbulence of the 1990s while consolidating his hold on power in a series of elections that began to resemble coronations. He was last elected in 2015 with 97.7% of the vote. Though credited with maintaining stability and ethnic peace in Kazakhstan, he has faced criticism for suppressing dissent and sidelining the opposition.

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the speaker of the upper house of parliament, will take over as the country’s acting president for the remainder of his term in line with the constitution, Nazarbayev said.(theguardian)…[+]