Life Sentence in Kazakhstan
by Jessica Shorland
Kazakhstan is the wealthiest and fastest growing nation in the Central Asian region, due mostly to its abundant oil revenues. Citizens are becoming comfortable with the rising standard of living thanks to the vast improvement of its economic performance in recent years. This success is, in some part, thanks to President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Immediately following Kazakhstan's independence in 1991, the former Soviet Socialist Republic leader provided strong leadership and political stability in the wake of the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, when does this strong leadership's authoritarianism and corruption begin to undermine all success and become a hindrance?
Nazarbayev rose to power in 1989 and was officially elected president of Kazakhstan in an unopposed election in December 1991. Since then, he has imposed legislative changes to continue and tighten his political grasp on the nation, including the 1995 Constitution limiting legislative powers and giving the president control over legislative, judiciary, local and regional governments. The constitution cannot be amended without presidential consent, further consolidating Nazarbayev’s power in the government. He appoints all 14 governors, can dissolve parliament and can call referenda at his discretion. In short, democracy has more than failed to improve since 1991.
It is a common theory that if a nation experiences economic success, its political stability will improve as well. While Kazakhstan seems to enjoy both, there exists a great possibility of an intense and potentially violent struggle for power. If this is in fact Nazarbayev's last term as president, will it be possible to expose the corruption existing in the current government? However, he successfully suppresses any and all opposition. He has been accused of ordering the murder of opposition leaders and threatening the freedom of speech and press. His oppression of the media unfortunately limits all public knowledge of the realities of his time in office.
The parliament of Kazakhstan, appointed by the president, passed a law granting Nazarbayev lifetime powers and privileges. These privileges include access to future presidents, immunity from criminal prosecution and influence over domestic and foreign policy. Kazakhstan will now face a future constantly decided and influenced by a single political leader who has essentially obtained a life-term with no limitations on power. Kazakhstan will feel the impact of his rule now and years on.
However corrupt and authoritarian Nazarbayev's government, there is no denying that the nation is making considerable leaps in its economic progress. It embarked upon a new industrial policy in 2006 designed to diversify the economy, aimed at reducing overdependence on the oil sector by developing the light industry. Kazakhstan is evolving into an internationally recognized strong state under authoritarian rule.
The people of Kazakhstan are not going to fix something that they believe is not broken, proving this in the most recent election where Nazarbayev won an overwhelming majority of 91%. But how long can the human rights abuses and corruption go unchallenged? Nazarbeyev refuses to pass inclusive legislation and "oppressive" seems to be a prerequisite for government officials. Kazakhstan is carefully balanced on the tip of stable corruption, and one tremble can send it spiraling into a violent power struggle. Eventually, despite his life sentence, Nazarbayev will be gone and opposition will rise, and instability will ensue.
