Nazarbayev on early presidential election: My plans were different

President Nursultan Nazarbayev during the meeting with women representatvies ©Turar Kazangapov

Nursultan Nazarbayev has held a traditional meeting with female representatives of the society on the eve of March 8. In their speeches the women asked the head of state to run for presidency in the upcoming early election in Kazakhstan.

The incumbent president said that early presidential elections had not been part of his plans, Tengrinews reports.

"The election campaign has started. The idea of holding the early elections was mainly supported by women. I am getting thousands of letters these days. This morning on my desk there was a big pile of letters from people who support it, who are asking me to be a candidate. My personal plans were quite different, to be honest," he said in Akorda at the meeting.

The President noted that he had been leading Kazakhstan for many years. "I was at the beginnings of the independence. Maybe it's time to change the decorations, as they say in the theater,” he said.

“When the founding father of the beautiful Singapore left, I asked: "Why did you leave?"

Nazarbayev quoted the reply: "I had been leading for 31 years and when I looked at myself on TV lately, I didn’t like myself." "'The TV does distort perhaps,' I told him," the Kazakh president said.

President Nazarbayev then continued: "I also have similar plans. But right now I see the will, the aspiration for unity of the people. Today I am using the opportunity to consult you, on what to do next," said the head of state, referring to the women present.

Reporting by Altynai Zhumzhumina, writing by Dinara Urazova, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina

Nursultan Nazarbayev has held a traditional meeting with female representatives of the society on the eve of March 8. In their speeches the women asked the head of state to run for presidency in the upcoming early election in Kazakhstan.

The incumbent president said that early presidential elections had not been part of his plans, Tengrinews reports.

"The election campaign has started. The idea of holding the early elections was mainly supported by women. I am getting thousands of letters these days. This morning on my desk there was a big pile of letters from people who support it, who are asking me to be a candidate. My personal plans were quite different, to be honest," he said in Akorda at the meeting.

The President noted that he had been leading Kazakhstan for many years. "I was at the beginnings of the independence. Maybe it's time to change the decorations, as they say in the theater,” he said.

“When the founding father of the beautiful Singapore left, I asked: "Why did you leave?"

Nazarbayev quoted the reply: "I had been leading for 31 years and when I looked at myself on TV lately, I didn’t like myself." "'The TV does distort perhaps,' I told him," the Kazakh president said.

President Nazarbayev then continued: "I also have similar plans. But right now I see the will, the aspiration for unity of the people. Today I am using the opportunity to consult you, on what to do next," said the head of state, referring to the women present.

Reporting by Altynai Zhumzhumina, writing by Dinara Urazova, editing by Tatyana Kuzmina

women CIS Elections female Kazakh Kazakhstan news Nursultan Nazarbayev president Central Asia