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None of the five candidates who ran against Tokayev had any credibility — the most popular was Zhiguli Dayrabayev, best known for a video of him chopping an animal bone with his hand (Photo: Facebook screengrab)

A missed opportunity in Kazakhstan

The results of Kazakhstan's snap presidential election—where the tally has current leader Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with 81% of votes — surprises no one. What disappoints those in Washington, London, Brussels, and most importantly in Kazakhstan, is that they hoped for more.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office of Democratic Initiatives an...

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The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s, not those of EUobserver

Author Bio

David A. Merkel served as deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs at the US State Department, as director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council, and as deputy assistant secretary of the US Treasury.

None of the five candidates who ran against Tokayev had any credibility — the most popular was Zhiguli Dayrabayev, best known for a video of him chopping an animal bone with his hand (Photo: Facebook screengrab)

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Author Bio

David A. Merkel served as deputy assistant secretary for European and Eurasian affairs at the US State Department, as director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council, and as deputy assistant secretary of the US Treasury.

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