Nursultan Nazarbayev Resigns The Presidency of Kazakhstan

There has been a major change in the Central Asian region. Nursultan Nazarbayev has resigned as president of  Kazakhstan. He has been a fixture of the nation's politics since 1989 becoming the first secretary of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. When the Soviet Union collapsed, he remained president and remained a dominant figure. Most of the Central Asian states can be described as authoritarian presidencies. It should not be assumed that a more democratic system will be emerging after his resignation. This surprise announcement came after economic challenges that arose in the country. The possibility of mass protests or civil disturbance may have been a factor in his decision. Russia has shown more concern seeing as it has significant investment in Kazakhstan. There is a chance that such a pattern could morph into a region wide revolt replacing authoritarian leaders. While this would be a positive development, the negative consequences would be no stable government to replace the older models of government. Changes are coming, yet it may not be as radical as one would think with the exit of a leader. This may actually be a strategy to make a future return. Nazarbayev still holds the post on the powerful security council, so technically he has not given up all power with his resignation. The plan could be to have an acting president struggle during the remainder of his term and gradually reemerge as a candidate in future elections. This is speculative and the future of the Central Asian country remains unclear. Kazakhstan did see economic growth in the early 2000s, but it has not translated to improve living standards for the majority of the population. The fear is that economic hardship and oppressive government will make radical political Islamism attractive to  the disillusioned. Ethnic hatreds may be exacerbated under extreme social conditions. For now,   Nursultan Nazarbayev will be wielding power behind the scenes ,in a country that will grow in importance due to its vast mineral reserves.