Kazakhstan to Restore Capital’s Old Name

JUN 6 2022·Updated SEP 15 2022

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Image credit: independent

The Facts

Kazakhstan's Pres. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has agreed to restore the former name of the country's capital to "Astana" after he renamed it "Nur-Sultan" in honor of his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev three years ago.
guardian
The capital was named "Akmolinsk" by imperial Russian settlers, "Tselinograd" in the early 1960s, "Akmola" after Kazakhstan's independence, and "Astana" (meaning "capital") a year later in 1998.
Eurasianet
In early September, Tokayev agreed to a proposal by lawmakers to rename the capital Astana. Earlier, protests against increased fuel prices evolved into a broader expression of anger over decades of alleged corruption and misrule, with frustration directed at Nazarbayev and his family.
Eurasianet
At least 230 people were killed and hundreds injured during the violent protests in January. The uprisings were described as the most disruptive since independence in 1991. Following the riots, Tokayev deposed Nazarbayev as head of Kazakhstan's Security Council.
Bloomberg.com
Meanwhile, Tokayev announced early presidential elections in the fall and said he wanted to limit the president's term in September to a single seven-year term.
Bloomberg.com
Nazarbayev, who resigned in 2019 after nearly 30 years in power, was also known as the "leader of the nation," a status that entitled him to maintain influence over domestic and foreign affairs after stepping down as president.
Caspian News

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

The name "Nur-Sultan" lacked popular appeal, and while Nazarbaev enjoyed genuine popularity during his time as president, the change back to "Astana" is a gesture toward Kazakstan's citizens. Given the recent riots, demands for reform, and constitutional changes, this is a welcome change.

RadioFreeEurope

Narrative B

This change is mostly cosmetic. While Nazarbayev has fallen from grace with extreme speed, Kazakhstan is still led by the former leader's cronies and relatives. Despite the name change of the country's capital, it is unlikely that the power structure of this Central Asian nation will change significantly.