Kazakhstan changes capital’s name from Nur-Sultan back to Astana

(FASTNEWS |  KAZAKHASTAN) – Kazakhstan’s president has signed a law limiting presidential terms and reverting to the old name of the Central Asian country’s capital, in the latest step of breaking with the legacy of his predecessor.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a bill on Saturday limiting presidential mandates to a single seven-year term, a day after parliament approved the measure.

The bill also reinstated the capital’s name to Astana. The name was changed to Nur-Sultan in March 2019, in honour of outgoing president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The change is effective immediately, according to a decree on the presidential website.

Snap elections

Taking over from Nazarbayev in 2019, Tokayev has launched various political reforms in the energy-rich country.

Tokayev has called for “completely new standards for a political system with fair and open rules of the game”.

In January, riots erupted in the country, eventually leaving more than 200 people dead.

Tokayev has called for snap presidential elections this autumn –– though there is no confirmed date yet.