Leader of Kazakhstan has coronavirus. What if he dies?

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - In Brief 19 Jun 2020 by Alex Teddy
On June 18 it was announced that Nursultan Nazarbayev has coronavirus. Nazarbayev has the official title Leader of the Nation. He ruled the country as president from 1991 to 2019. Strenuous efforts were made to keep him safe from coronavirus. The outlook for an 80-year-old already in poor health are bleak. When he retired as president in 2019 it was on health grounds. Even then he was hardly able to walk, after various reported illnesses during his career. The government would not have announced his coronavirus infection unless the situation were already serious. What if he dies?If Nazarbayev dies it would enhance the power of the President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev. Tokayev's role is limited because of Nazarbayev's position as chairman of the National Security Committee. The strength of the Nazarbayev family has already been diminished by the dismissal of Dariga Nazarbayeva as Chair of the Senate earlier in 2020. That position is the second in line to the presidency. Nazarbayev as president was pro-Russian. Tokayev is less so and is pivoting towards China where he was once a diplomat. He speaks fluent Mandarin. The mastery of the billionaire class and the lack of political pluralism is not about to change. Nazarbayev had huge respect whereas Tokayev does not. The death of Nazarbayev would see even more protests against Tokayev.

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