Kazakhstan’s Tokayev appoints longtime adviser as vice president

What the report says

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has appointed Erlan Karin, one of his longtime advisers, as vice president, according to Al Jazeera. The move follows a constitutional change earlier this year that created the office. Al Jazeera reported that Karin has been a senior aide to Tokayev since he became president in 2019, making him the first person in line to succeed the head of state.

The appointment was announced on Monday and was quickly approved by parliament, which Al Jazeera said is dominated by the pro-Tokayev Adilet party. Tokayev also proposed keeping Olzhas Bektenov as prime minister; he has held that post since 2024. Al Jazeera said the president described Karin as an experienced public servant with broad knowledge of state administration.

Karin is 50 and has a background in counter-terrorism, according to the report. He has also been identified as an important voice in promoting Tokayev’s political vision, which he has called “New Kazakhstan.” The article noted that Tokayev, 73, remains eligible to run for another seven-year term under Kazakhstan’s new constitution, although his current term runs until 2029.

The report places the personnel changes in the context of Tokayev’s consolidation of power after the 2022 unrest that broke with the legacy of former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev. Kazakhstan remains a significant exporter of energy and minerals and balances relations with Russia, the West and China.