Kazakhstan's leader lacks a successor

Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev was re-elected on Sunday with roughly 95 percent of the vote. The online daily Ir nevertheless believes his rule is coming to an end: "These elections may well be Nazarbayev's last. Because it's questionable whether he will stand for re-election again in five years' time - the burden of the years grows heavier all the time. In addition Nazarbayev already bears the title 'leader of the nation' and can continue to exert influence without holding the office of president. ... But sooner or later such long-time leaders of undemocratic regimes always run up against the same problem: that of finding a successor. It is certainly too early to view Nazarbayev as a 'lame duck', but in the coming years his main problem will be to find someone who enjoys his trust and who can see him to his grave."

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