{"id":51737,"date":"2022-11-20T22:49:54","date_gmt":"2022-11-20T21:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/efecomunica.efe.com\/?p=51737"},"modified":"2022-11-20T23:09:50","modified_gmt":"2022-11-20T22:09:50","slug":"strong-turnout-in-kazakh-elections-incumbent-expected-to-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/efecomunica.efe.com\/en\/strong-turnout-in-kazakh-elections-incumbent-expected-to-win\/","title":{"rendered":"Strong turnout in Kazakh elections, incumbent expected to win"},"content":{"rendered":"

Astana, Nov 20 (EFE).- Polling stations closed in Kazakhstan<\/strong> after a high turnout<\/strong> in Sunday’s presidential elections<\/strong> that passed without violent incidents or anti-government protests.<\/p>\n

According to the Central Election Commission<\/strong> (CEC), at 6pm local time, two hours before the polls closed, 67.85% of 12 million Kazakhs<\/strong> called to the polls had exercised their right to vote.<\/p>\n

Voters consulted by Efe openly supported the political reform introduced by the incumbent, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev<\/strong>, which reduces the powers of the head of state.<\/p>\n

The successful candidate will hold office for one seven-year term<\/strong> without the possibility of re-election.<\/p>\n

The opposition<\/strong> in exile had called a protest at noon, but a large police device prevented any anti-government actions.<\/p>\n

The only blemish on election day was the low turnout in the country’s second city, Almaty,<\/strong> scene of violent riots in January.<\/p>\n

\"Astana <\/a>
Astana (Kazakhstan), 20\/11\/2022.- A handout photo made available by Kazakhstan’s President press service shows Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (L) casts his ballot during presidential elections at the polling station in Astana, Kazakhstan, 20 November 2022. Kazakhstan holds early presidential elections. (Elecciones, Kazajst\u00e1n) EFE\/EPA\/KAZAKHSTAN PRESIDENT PRESS SERVICE\/HANDOUT HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY\/NO SALES <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>
\"Almaty <\/a>
Almaty (Kazakhstan), 20\/11\/2022.- Kazakh election commission members count results during presidential elections at a polling station in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 20 November 2022. Kazakhstan holds early presidential elections. (Elecciones, Kazajst\u00e1n) EFE\/EPA\/TIMUR BATYRSHIN <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n

Residents of the city, which until 1997 was the capital of Central Asia’s largest country, are angry with authorities for their mishandling of the crisis<\/strong>, in which several hundred people were killed.<\/p>\n

Tokayev, 69, who is seeking re-election, called on Kazakhs to end the monopoly of power that characterized the nearly three decades that Nursultan Nazarbayev<\/strong>, the reclusive father of the fatherland, was in power.<\/p>\n

The current president, who faced five other candidates<\/strong>, two of them women, but no opposition, is the clear favorite for victory.<\/p>\n

Also standing in the elections were Nurlan Auesbaev, candidate of the Social Democratic Party; Saltanat Tursinbekova, a former civil servant who advocates in her program to combat domestic violence; Qaraqat Abden, candidate of the Alliance of Social Workers; Zhiguli Dairabayev, of the ruling patriotic Auil party, and Meiram Kazhiken, presented by the Kazakh trade unions.EFE<\/p>\n

kk-mos\/ks<\/p>\n