1. The political system is fairly stable. The president of the country, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has an approval rating of 75 per cent and the government of the country 56 per cent.
2. The economic situation is also fairly stable. The country managed to overcome the negative results of the world economic crisis of 2007-2008. The anti-crisis program elaborated under the control of President Nazarbayev is working out fine. The country’s debt has reduced by 29 billion dollars, the National Fund has increased by 17 billion dollars, and GDP growth in 2010 was 7 per cent.
3. In the social sphere the situation is also fairly favourable. However, there are certain problems. Social mobility is still fairly low, the state apparatus is corrupt and the unemployment level rather high. Still, the public mood is rather calm.
4. The situation surrounding inter-ethnic conflicts is also stable. The government is monitoring the situation and pays special attention to existing problems in the sphere of inter-ethnic and inter-faith relations.
5. The decision to hold presidential elections before the end of the term was welcomed by the elite. The Kazakh elite was worried, whether President Nazarbayev would remain leader or a new person would become president of the country. Nazarbayev’s intention to remain president as long as his health is good enough for it was considered the right one by the majority of the country’s officials.
This is especially important in the light of the Middle Eastern crisis. Several Arab countries are now experiencing dramatic changes and a lot of people abroad believe the same may happen in Kazakhstan or Russia. The coming presidential elections in Kazakhstan will probably make such a scenario impossible.
Alexey Vlasov, Ismail Agakishiyev
