Astana: A leader of Kazakhstan`s ruling
party called today for constitutional changes redefining the
role of the president, opening the door to making Kazakh
President Nursultan Nazarbeyev president for life.
Darkhan Kaletayev, deputy head of the president`s Nur
Otan party, said the country should adopt a new law called
"About the Leader of the Nation" to redefine "all parameters
and every aspect of the status of the head of state."
However he gave contradictory signals about whether the
proposed law would make Nazarbayev, the longtime leader of the
energy-rich former Soviet republic, president of Kazakhstan
for life.
"In our view, the question should be put forward not only
concerning the lifelong presidency of the serving head of
state. That is very confining, and this is much broader,"
Kaletayev told reporters here.
At the same time, he said the idea of making Nazarbayev
president for life was "not under consideration in any way, in
the highest corridors of power or in the Nur Otan party
itself."
The comments came one week after the president`s website
and state television ran a eulogy of Nazarbayev that called
for an end to democratic elections, sparking speculation that
such a change was in the works.
The country`s Parliament already lifted restrictions on
presidential term limits in 2007, opening the door for
Nazarbayev, who has run the country since independence, to
continue ruling the ex-Soviet state indefinitely.
Bureau Report
