On Feb. 14, the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan (APK) put forward an initiative to hold an early presidential election. The appeal, signed by members of the Council of the APK, says, “The new proof of the credibility of the Leader of the Nation will unite and knit people together in a new stage of world development, allowing them to join efforts to settle the most important issues of state development.”
The appeal was a response to numerous requests from citizens to the APK with proposals to hold early presidential elections. In turn, the initiative of the APK reflects the existence of widespread and stable electorate support for the head of state across almost all social groups and strata of the population.
The confidence rating given by the people of Kazakhstan to Nursultan Nazarbayev in the previous election was quite high. However, currently, the people support their leader even more.
Nursultan Nazarbayev is a recognised Leader of the Nation. The people of Kazakhstan associate the President of Kazakhstan with security, stability and prosperity.
The high evaluation of the President of Kazakhstan stems from the fact that the goals and objectives he set have been implemented in time.
Over the past two decades, Kazakhstan has overcome a complex stage of its development, full of internal contradictions and external challenges.
During this period, the former Soviet republic transformed into a rapidly modernising state, which, during the years of independence, has been acknowledged as a sovereign state and an equal member of the world community.
Today, Kazakhstan is the most successful example of development among post-Soviet states.
Our main achievement is the creation and strengthening of the statehood of Kazakhstan. Our nation has established itself as a sovereign state with a steadily growing economy, effective governance and a stable socio-political system.
Over 23 years of independence, our country has been developing its domestic stability, of which we are proud. The people of Kazakhstan have been able to overcome honourably many challenges of the period of the formation of a new state. Highlighting the progress that Kazakhstan today demonstrates, we recognise social harmony and tolerance as the absolute achievement and the highest value and express our commitment to a policy of building a culture of inter-ethnic dialogue and understanding.
One of the 10 largest countries in the world by landmass, Kazakhstan has achieved international recognition of its borders, established good relations with all neighbouring countries and succeeded in creating mutually beneficial partnerships with major powers of the world.
The successful development of the country is based on sustainable economic development. The economy has been shifted to a free market approach and integrated into the world market. It is no accident, for example, that the United States recognised Kazakhstan as the first among the CIS states to have a market economy. During the current global financial crisis, efficient measures helped maintain positive economic growth at the end of 2014.
The active social policy of the state is guided by the imperative to focus on the requests and needs of common people. The key formula was set in the strategic development plan up to 2020 that our country is pursuing.
All the things achieved by Kazakhstan were determined by the activities of the presidency and its central political figure, the President.
Commending the achievements of reform policies undertaken by the President since the first days of independence, the vast majority of my fellow country people support the strategic course he has been pursuing of building a stable and prosperous Kazakhstan.
The central idea of our development in the coming decades is the Kazakhstan 2050 Strategy: by 2050, we need to create a welfare state based on a strong government, economic development and the possibility of universal labour. The results of the new policy, outlined in the strategy, will determine Kazakhstan’s future in the complex world order.
The latest initiative of the APK is based on the recognition of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s unique consolidating role in our society and his leadership, which is in as high demand as ever. The broad support it has received so far shows the willingness of society to unite behind constructive policies of the President and to contribute to their successful and effective implementation, in order to ensure the continued development and progress of our nation.
The author is a PhD in political science and an analyst at the Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan – Leader of the Nation.
