Kazakh ruling party wants to extend Nazarbayev's 26-year reign

By Dmitry Solovyov and Mariya Gordeyeva ALMATY (Reuters) - The ruling party of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said on Monday it wanted the veteran leader to extend his term in an early election this year, in a sign the oil-rich nation's elite sees no apparent successor after his 26-year grip on power. His Nur Otan party published a statement in support of a "people's initiative" aired at the weekend by the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, which he also chairs, to hold a snap election this year and extend his rule by another five years. "We believe the initiative on holding an early presidential election is the most correct decision in full compliance with the interests of the nation and the people," the Nur Otan party said in a statement posted on its website (www.nurotan.kz) The president's office could not be reached for comments. Nazarbayev, who keeps a tight lid on dissent and faces no real challenge from the country's small opposition, was elected by almost 96 percent of votes in 2011 and his five-year term ends only in late 2016.

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