The people of Astana woke up in another city after it was renamed in honor of its leader Nursultan Nazarbayev – despite having already had its name changed three times during his lifetime.

The nations in Central Asia are known for making extra efforts in honoring their leaders. The current president of Turkmenistan has a giant golden statue of himself on horseback, while the leader of Tajikistan recently asked TV stations to stop airing too much ‘congratulatory’ music videos featuring his image.

Kazakhstan is now adhering to this spirit as the residents of its capital, Astana, found themselves in a new city on Wednesday. The lawmakers voted unanimously to rename it Nur-Sultan, after former president Nursultan Nazarbayev who resigned just the day before.

The idea to “immortalize” the leader’s legacy came from Senate Speaker Kassym-Jormat Tokayev who has taken over as president. And it is just the beginning – the central streets in other cities should be renamed in connection with the former head of state as well, he said. A monument in his honor will also be erected.

The move to change the capital’s name has already spurred jokes on social media. Some residents now wonder how to call themselves – Nursultans or Nursultanians?

People couldn't help but wonder what will become of the so-called ‘Astana talks’ format in the Syrian peace process? Its name, at least, will stay the same, a foreign ministry official reassured.

As for the capital, during the previous century it was renamed a staggering three times! Known as Akmolinsk in imperial Russia, it became Tselinograd in the Soviet era, when Nazarbayev was 21. The city got a new name – Akmola – shortly after Kazakhstan got its independence in the 1990s but that didn’t stick as well, so it was named Astana in 1997.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! </s> Kazakhstan's parliament on Wednesday voted to rename the country's capital in honour of longtime ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev , a day after he resigned as president, state media reported. Astana is now officially renamed Nursultan," the state-owned Kazinform news agency said after a parliamentary vote.Kazakhstan's new interim president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed renaming the capital after he was sworn in following Nazarbayev's shock resignation on Tuesday.In his first official act, Tokayev proposed that Astana - the gleaming new capital Nazarbayev erected in the country's vast steppes - be renamed "Nursultan", or " Sultan of Light ".Astana replaced Kazakhstan 's largest city Almaty as the capital in 1997 and was transformed from a minor provincial town into a futuristic city.Its name meant "capital" in Kazakh and there had long been speculation it could at some point be renamed after the leader who shaped it.It was not the first name change for the city, now home to more than 800,000 people. </s> Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The Baiterek Tower, which resembles a giant egg atop a tree, is one of the city's landmarks

Kazakhstan has renamed its capital Astana to Nursultan to honour outgoing leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, who unexpectedly resigned on Tuesday.

The change was announced after Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was sworn in as president, promising to seek his predecessor's opinion on key decisions.

Mr Nazarbayev, 78, served nearly 30 years as leader of the oil-rich nation.

Meanwhile, his eldest daughter has been elected speaker of the upper house of parliament.

Dariga Nazarbayeva's promotion to the second most powerful position in the country raises her profile as a potential successor.

Her father, who is head of the governing party, will remain at the helm of the influential security council and will hold the formal title Leader of the Nation.

Analysts say it is too early to say who is going to run or to declare potential favourites in next year's election. Mr Tokayev and current Prime Minister Askar Mamin are also seen as possible contenders.

New president, new name for capital

Mr Tokayev was sworn in as president some 24 hours after Mr Nazarbayev's surprise resignation. He will serve for the remainder of the presidential term which expires in April 2020.

"[Nazarbayev's] opinion will have special, one might say priority, importance in developing and making strategic decisions," said Mr Tokayev, who had served as speaker of the upper house of parliament.

He said the world had witnessed a "historic event" with the resignation of Mr Nazarbayev, the only man to lead Kazakhstan since it emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s.

Image copyright Reuters Image caption Mr Tokayev (right) shakes hands with Mr Nazarbayev during a session in a parliament

Mr Tokayev then proposed changing Astana's name "in honour of the first president" and, shortly afterwards, parliament adopted a law making the renaming official.

Astana, which means "capital" in Kazakh, became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, taking over from Almaty, still the country's commercial hub and largest population centre.

Renaming cities

In the former Soviet Union, now Russia , authorities renamed Königsberg to Kaliningrad, after Mikhail Kalinin, one of the leaders of the Bolshevik revolution. Also, Stalingrad became Volgograd after Stalin's death in 1953

, authorities renamed Königsberg to Kaliningrad, after Mikhail Kalinin, one of the leaders of the Bolshevik revolution. Also, Stalingrad became Volgograd after Stalin's death in 1953 In Germany , Karl Marx Stadt became Chemnitz in 1990 after the country's reunification

, Karl Marx Stadt became Chemnitz in 1990 after the country's reunification More than 100 cities in India have changed their names since the end of British rule, including Madras to Chennai. Most recently, Allahabad was renamed Prayagraj, apparently to restore its ancient identity as a major Hindu pilgrimage centre

have changed their names since the end of British rule, including Madras to Chennai. Most recently, Allahabad was renamed Prayagraj, apparently to restore its ancient identity as a major Hindu pilgrimage centre The capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo was renamed in the 1960s from Léopoldville, named after a Belgian king, to Kinshasa, the name of a village that existed in the same area

was renamed in the 1960s from Léopoldville, named after a Belgian king, to Kinshasa, the name of a village that existed in the same area In Mozambique, the capital was named Maputo following the country's independence in 1975. Until then, it was known as Lourenço Marques after the Portuguese navigator

Daughter seen as possible successor

Mr Nazarbayev's 55-year-old daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva, a former deputy prime minister, has long been considered as a potential successor.

She once led the country's main television station and founded her own party in the 2000s, before it merged with her father's party.

Ms Nazarbayeva made no mention of the forthcoming elections in her brief acceptance speech on Wednesday, Reuters news agency reports. </s> Kazakhstan on Wednesday swore in its second-ever president since independence, following the shock resignation of their ruler of 28 years Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The first official act of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev — who by Kazakh constitution became president by default — was to rename the capital city after Mr Nazabayev, indicating there would be no departure from the abdicated leader's policy.

Mr Nazabayev's long rumoured resignation triggered an internal debate over who will succeed the leader in elections next year.

Astana, a futuristic capital city – littered with glass-faced architectural feats, which was simply named the Kazakh word for "capital" – will now be known as Nursultan, or "Sultan of Light" in Kazakh, in honour of the former president.

"The results of an independent Kazakhstan are there for all to see," the country's new leader said. "I propose...naming the country's capital Nursultan in honour of the first president".

The Kazakh parliament then voted to pass the change of name.

The newly appointed president also said the main streets in every major city should be named after Mr Nazarbayev and portraits of the post-Soviet-era ruler should continue to hang in schools and other public places.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are set to lead expansion of Islamic banking in CIS countries. AFP

He "remains the only and lifelong father of the people," Mr Tokayev said.

Also on Wednesday Mr Nazabayev's daughter, Dariga Nazarbayeva, was elected speaker of the Senate, setting her up to succeed Mr Tokayev if he resigns and as a key political figure in elections next year.

Ms Nazarbayeva, 55, is the eldest of three daughters and as the most politically active – she served as deputy prime minister from 2015 to 2016 – has often been mentioned as a potential successor. Mr Nazabayev once ruled out handing over power to family members.

Mr Nazabayev announced his resignation on Tuesday, ending nearly 30 years as head of state of central Asia's largest economy.

"I have taken the decision to refuse the mandate of the presidency," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.

Mr Nazarbayev, 78, has served in the office since April 1991 but has led Kazakhstan since 1989 while it was still part of the Soviet Union.

“I will be with you to serve until the end of my days,” he said. “I see my future task in ensuring a new generation of leaders.”

As the chairman of the Security Council, a constitutional organ setting guidelines for foreign and interior politics, Mr Nazarbayev will continue to "be the power of the throne," following the example of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew, who coined the minister-mentor model.

President Tokayev, 65, a life long diplomat who has been foreign minister twice, "is a safe pair of hands and a loyal presidential lieutenant," Kate Mallinson, an Associate Fellow for Chatham House's Russia and Eurasia Programme wrote, adding that "Nazarbayev Inc." continues to rule.

But Mr Tokayev faces the challenge of reviving Kazakhstan's stagnating economy – the government has spent nearly $18 billion (Dh66bn) on banking bailouts – and balancing relations with the country's two giant neighbours Russia and China.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said Beijing is fully confident in bilateral cooperation, while Russian President Vladimir Putin said “we hope for continuity” in Kazakh policies.

However, argued Ms Mallinson, "the interim succession plan is still vulnerable to external and internal factors including Russia’s role, the price of oil, socio-economic issues and elite politics," and warned of external "hostile figures" who might seek to take advantage of the power vacuum. </s> The URL has been copied to your clipboard

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Police in the Kazakh capital, Astana, have arrested about 20 people who protested on March 21 against the decision to rename the city "Nursultan", after Kazakhstan's former president. Nursultan Nazarbaev unexpectedly resigned on March 19, after nearly 30 years in power. </s> ASTANA: Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev announced his shock resignation on Tuesday, 29 years after taking office. "I have taken the decision to refuse the mandate of the presidency," he said in a speech broadcast on state television. Nazarbayev came to power in oil-rich Kazakhstan when it was still a Soviet republic and has never indicated a successor.

The move comes on the back of growing social discontent and an economy still recovering from an oil price plunge in 2014. The announcement also comes just weeks after the ageing strongman dismissed the country's government.

Nazarbayev will enjoy significant policy-making powers following his resignation thanks to his constitutional status as "Leader of the Nation". He also became lifelong head of the country's security council last year. </s> ASTANA (Reuters) - Kazakhstan took a step closer to a carefully choreographed dynastic succession on Wednesday as the daughter of its long-serving ruler was named to a post that put her in line for the presidency a day after her father stepped down.

Nursultan Nazarbayev, the only ruler Kazakhstan has known since the Soviet era, resigned as president on Tuesday, automatically making his loyalist parliament speaker Kassym-Jomart Tokayev president in his place.

But Nazarbayev kept other senior decision-making posts. And as his first act in office, new President Tokayev nominated the 78-year-old leader’s 55-year-old daughter Dariga as speaker of the senate, meaning she would automatically become president if Tokayev were to leave office before an election next year.

Her nomination was then unanimously confirmed by the Senate.

Nazarbayev was the last Soviet-era communist boss still in power in a former Soviet state until his decision to step down this week. If his daughter eventually follows him into power, it would be only the second successful dynastic succession in an ex-Soviet state, after Ilham Aliyev followed his father Heydar into power in Azerbaijan.

In an inauguration speech, the new president made clear he intended to continue to serve Nazarbayev, who retains posts including those of head of the powerful security council and leader of the ruling party.

The capital Astana is to be renamed Nursultan in Nazarbayev’s honor, Tokayev said. Nazarbayev’s “opinion will have special, one might say priority, importance in developing and making strategic decisions”.

Tokayev, a 65-year-old career diplomat fluent in Russian, English and Chinese, now has a mandate to serve out the final year of Nazarbayev’s term. The more permanent successor is then expected to be the candidate Nazarbayev selects to represent his Nur Otan party in an election in April next year.

“The real contest will be fought inside the corridors of power rather in public,” said Chris Weafer, senior partner the Moscow-based Macro-Advisory Ltd consultancy.

“The candidate supported by the Nur Otan party and, presumably, endorsed by Nazarbayev, will win the election. There is no realistic possibility for surprise given the political structures in Kazakhstan.”

Nazarbayev praised Tokayev on Tuesday as “a man who can be trusted to lead Kazakhstan”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Tokayev on Wednesday, praising his “big personal contribution to the strengthening of the ties of strategic partnership and alliance between our countries”.

Nazarbayev has been a close ally of Putin, while also maintaining warm relations with China and successful business ties with Western companies that have helped Kazakhstan exploit huge oil and gas resources, making it one of the most prosperous former Soviet states in terms of output per capita.

While his rule has been firm and political opposition all but negligible, Kazakhstan has not faced the same degree of criticism over human rights as neighbors Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, or unrest that plagued Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

But critics say he should have done more to create a stable political system less dependent on the rule of a single man.

His daughter Dariga Nazarbayeva has in the past led Kazakhstan’s main television station and served as a deputy prime minister, while also devoting time to a passion for opera, which she has performed publicly.

She made no mention of the upcoming elections in her brief speech on Wednesday accepting the speaker’s post. While her elevation appears to increase the odds she will take over one day, she is not the only potential heir.

Another extended family member, Nazarbayev’s nephew Samat Abish, is also regarded as a candidate after his meteoric rise through the ranks of state security, where he has held the No. 2 post since 2015. Abish, however, keeps a low public profile.

The head of state security, Karim Masimov, although not a family member, is also close to Nazarbayev, having served as chief of staff and twice as prime minister. The present prime minister, Askar Mamin, was Masimov’s school classmate.

Some analysts believe there could be a collective succession, a troika- or politburo-style arrangement, after Kazakhstan amended its constitution in 2017 to reduce presidential powers in favor of lawmakers and the cabinet.

“What we expect to see in coming years and decades is a gradual transformation toward a system that is less reliant on one strong figurehead,” said Charles Robertson, global chief economist at Renaissance Capital.

But there are doubts whether such a structure would be stable, given recent examples in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan where new leaders moved quickly to eliminate other key players.

In any case, major concerns for investors will be uncertainty and a shift from long-term structural reforms toward populist policies, which began last year when the government unexpectedly froze utility tariffs, putting companies’ long-term investment plans at risk.

Last month, Nazarbayev ordered the cabinet to tap a rainy-day fund for $3.6 billion to boost public sector salaries and social aid payouts, and build homes and infrastructure.

“There is obviously pressure on the regime to improve living standards... and to a certain extent they have some resources to do that,” said Stuart Culverhouse, chief economist at emerging market investment bank Exotix. </s> MOSCOW (AP) — Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled the oil-rich ex-Soviet nation of Kazakhstan for nearly three decades, has announced his resignation.

Nazarbayev said in a televised address to the nation Tuesday that he has taken the "difficult" decision to terminate his authority as president, effective on Wednesday. He did not give a specific reason.

The 78-year-old has led Kazakhstan since 1989 when it was still part of the Soviet Union. He came to power as the Central Asian nation's Communist Party chief and was then elected president.

He took nearly 98 percent of the vote in the most recent election, in 2015, when elected for another five-year term.

According to Kazakhstan's constitution, the upper house speaker acts as head of state until a new president is elected. </s> Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled the oil-rich ex-Soviet nation of Kazakhstan for nearly three decades, has announced his resignation.

Nazarbayev said in a televised address to the nation Tuesday that he has taken the "difficult" decision to terminate his authority as president, effective on Wednesday. He did not give a specific reason.

The 78-year-old has led Kazakhstan since 1989 when it was still part of the Soviet Union. He came to power as the Central Asian nation's Communist Party chief and was then elected president.

He took nearly 98 percent of the vote in the most recent election, in 2015, when elected for another five-year term.

According to Kazakhstan's constitution, the upper house speaker acts as head of state until a new president is elected.
Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is renamed Nursultan, after the former President.