Kazakhstan's Parliament backs Referendum to extend Nazarbayev Term

    By Stan Rogers
    The Kazakhstani parliament has approved plans for a referendum extending President Nursultan Nazarbayev's term to 2020, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported December 29.
    However, ITAR-TASS reported that only the lower chamber of parliament had approved the plans and the upper chamber had not voted yet.
    Nazarbayev will decide in the spring whether to hold the referendum, which would eliminate a presidential election scheduled for 2012.
    The planned referendum has aroused criticism from the opposition.
    Nazarbayev has been president since 1990, according to Central Asia Online.