Kazakh leader stages snap vote to emerge from predecessor's shadow - Reuters

ALMATY, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev holds a drawback predetermination connected Sunday that helium is definite to win, solidifying his grip connected powerfulness little than a twelvemonth aft helium sidelined his long-ruling predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The erstwhile diplomat, who came to powerfulness successful 2019 arsenic Nazarbayev's hand-picked successor erstwhile the country's lone ruler since the Soviet epoch stepped down, broke with his ex-patron aft a January uprising that Tokayev called a coup attempt.

A caller predetermination triumph - a foregone decision against 5 little-known candidates - volition springiness Tokayev, 69, the benignant of overwhelming idiosyncratic mandate that Nazarbayev routinely secured arsenic helium built a property cult implicit 5 successive terms.

Nazarbayev, who had held connected to important posts aft stepping down, gave them up during the uprising successful which 238 radical died. Tokayev has since forced Nazarbayev allies to relinquish different positions, and changed the sanction of the superior - renamed "Nur-Sultan" successful Nazarbayev's honour - backmost to Astana.

Tokayev called successful Russian assistance to enactment down the unrest, but has since kept his distance from Moscow, avoiding giving nationalist backing to Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.

Russia is Kazakhstan's biggest trading partner, and Russia's descent into recession has wounded Kazakh economical growth, portion the spot of the rouble boosted by superior controls has helped propulsion ostentation successful Kazakhstan to a 14-year high.

Tokayev, a erstwhile overseas curate and lawman caput wide of the United Nations, has overseen law reforms which bounds his ain regularisation to 2 terms. He has besides promised to trim income inequality by rooting retired corruption and redistributing wealthiness much fairly.

He said connected Sunday helium would proceed "resetting" the governmental strategy by calling an aboriginal parliamentary predetermination adjacent year. Tokayev discontinue the ruling Amanat enactment this twelvemonth and oversaw reforms making it easier to found caller governmental parties.

Opinion polls person predicted nary of the 5 different candidates would people successful the treble digits.

"Among those who are moving for president, I lone cognize Tokayev, firstly," Timerlan Sadykov, a nonmigratory of Kazakhstan's biggest metropolis Almaty, said connected the eve of the vote.

"And secondly, the mode he's conducted himself connected the planetary signifier has been precise appealing."

Another Almaty voter, a 35-year-old manager who lone gave his archetypal name, Serik, said helium voted against each candidates.

"...I deliberation the powers that beryllium indispensable realise they person fixed america nary existent choice," helium said.

Police detained a fewer twelve radical who staged small-scale protests against the ballot successful Almaty, calling it illegal, according to absorption groups and section media. Police said immoderate were soon released, portion others faced misdemeanour charges.

By the clip polling stations closed crossed Kazakhstan astatine 21:00 section time, 69.4% of voters had formed their ballots, the Central Election Commission said.

Data from respective exit polls volition beryllium published aft midnight (1800 GMT) and preliminary results of the ballot are expected connected Monday.

Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov and Mariya Gordeyeva Additional reporting by Tamara Vall successful Astana Editing by Peter Graff, Frances Kerry and Alexander Smith

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