Kazakhstan to hold early presidential elections

Kazakhstan will hold early presidential elections on June 9.

"In accordance with the Constitution, I made a decision to call for the extraordinary presidential elections of the Republic of Kazakhstan on June 9, 2019. On this matter I have consulted with the Leader of the Nation Nursultan Nazarbayev," said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in a televised address to the nation in April.

The presidential elections were originally scheduled for 2020.

The president instructed the Central Election Commission to organize the elections and ordered the government to take necessary measures for organizational, logistical and financial support of the elections.

Tokayev was sworn in as Kazakhstan president on March 20 following the sudden resignation of Nazarbayev who had served as the country's president for nearly three decades.