Nazarbayev dissolves parliament

    Kazakh President Nursultan Nazzarbayev has dissolved the parliament's lower chamber, the Majilis.
    Nazzarbayev's press service said on January 20 that the president had set the early parliamentary elections for March 20.
    The Majilis asked Nazzarbayev for its early dissolution on January 13, explaining the move as a necessity to tackle new challenges caused by the economic crisis faced by Central Asia's largest economy.
    The proposal was initiated by a group of lawmakers as Kazakhstan's currency, the tenge, has fallen precipitously in recent months.
    Kazakhstan has been struggling with the continued sinking of global oil prices and the impact of Russia's economic crisis.
    The current term of the Majilis was due to end in the fall.
    All three parties represented in the outgoing parliament are pro-presidential, according to RFE/RL.