[18] At the end of World War II, the family returned to the village of Chemolgan where in 1948, Nazarbayev began attending school and being taught the Russian language; while living with his paternal uncle, as his parents had not owned dwelling in the place for a brief period.

[31] Growing frustrated over the problems within the Kazakh SSR, at the 16th Session of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan held in January 1986, Nazarbayev criticized Askar Kunayev, head of the Academy of Sciences, for not reforming his department.

[42] From that period, all bills were adopted on the basis of presidential decrees such as outlawing any civic participation in an unregistered and/or illegal public association who would be punished with 15-day jail sentence or fines from 5 to 10 times the minimum monthly wage in an effort "to fight organized crime.

In the aftermath on 1 October 1999, Nazarbayev appointed Kassym-Jomart Tokayev as the PM after his predecessor Nurlan Balgimbayev had faced an increasing unpopularity amidst worsening economy and scandal revolving around an arms deal with North Korea.

[62] That same year in August, legislative elections were held from which the Nur Otan won all the contested seats in the Mazhilis, eliminating any form of opposition which sparked controversy and criticism from international organizations and groups within the country.

[clarification needed][75][76] After Kazakhstan faced an economic downturn of which was caused by low oil prices and devaluation of the tenge, Nazarbayev on 2 April 2014 dismissed PM Serik Akhmetov and reappointed Karim Massimov to the post.

This suggested that Nazarbayev was preparing for his succession to be taken over by Dariga as the cabinet reshuffling had occurred after Uzbek President Islam Karimov's death which created political uncertainty in the neighboring country.

[89] The Parliament approved several amendments to the Constitution on 5 March 2017, making the president no longer able to override parliamentary votes of no-confidence, while giving the legislative branch to form a government cabinet, implementing state programs and policies.

[90] Nazarbayev, along with seventeen heads of state and government from around the world, which included Felipe VI of Spain and leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries, consisting of Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and India, attended the opening ceremony of Expo 2017 which was held in Astana.

[93] Minister of Information and Communications Dauren Abaev responded to Tokayev's statements claiming that "there's still a lot of time" for Nazarbayev to decide on whether to run for re-election pointing out that the decision will be primarily based on his.

According to Nazarbayev himself, he described his intention for stepping down was due to "peak of trust" by the people and that it was "necessary to leave", recalling his memories in attending funerals of Soviet leaders Leonid Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov and Konstantin Chernenko, embarking that "there is still a limit of human capabilities.

"[112] In December 2020, according to an investigative report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, it was identified at least $785 million in European and U.S. real estate purchases made by Nazarbaev's family members and their in-laws in six countries over a 20-year span.

Since 2014, Nazarbayev has set strategic priority in Kazakhstan for economic diversification which would maintain the country's stability by avoiding the effects from its oil export reliance that would affect the economy through its constant price downfalls.

[136][137][138] During the Soviet era, over 500 military experiments with nuclear weapons were conducted by scientists in the Kazakhstan region, mostly at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, causing radiation sickness and birth defects.

[141] In what was dubbed "Project Sapphire", the Kazakhstan and United States governments worked closely together to dismantle former Soviet weapons stored in the country, with the Americans agreeing to fund over $800 million in transportation and "compensation" costs.

[155][156][157] Four years later, in February 2018, Reuters reported that "Kazakhstan further loosened cultural ties with its former political masters in Moscow ... when a ban on speaking Russian in cabinet meetings took effect ... [Nazarbayev] has also ordered all parliamentary hearings to be held in Kazakh, saying those who are not fluent must be provided with simultaneous translations.

[164] The implementation of the national plan resulted in Kazakhstan's transition from a five-tier judicial system to a three-tier one in early 2016 yet it severely restricted access to the cassation review of cases by the Supreme Court.

[176] In May 2004, a total of ten trade and economic cooperation agreements were signed which included a major Atasu-Alashankou oil pipeline that would connect western Kazakhstan and China with John C. K. Daly from the Jamestown Foundation describing it as "a symbolic link between two of the 21st century's rising powers, joining a booming producer with a cash-flush consumer."

[182] In order to gain investments to Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev, during his visit, signed an agreement with Chevron Corporation which obliged to develop the Tengiz Field that would extract 700,000 barrels of oil per day with a revenue of more than $5 billion a year.

[186][187] In September 2015, during the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, Nazarbayev met with Obama in New York City where both leaders discussed the issues regarding the war in Donbas and the goals of finding peaceful solution based on the Minsk Protocol, as well as nuclear disarmament, fighting extremism, the situation in Afghanistan and combatting ISIS.

In March 1991, Turkish President Turgut Özal paid a visit to capital Alma-Ata where he met with Nazarbayev as both parties discussed issues related to the establishment and expansion of cooperation in trade, economic, scientific, technical, and cultural spheres.

[196] In the aftermath of 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt, Nazarbayev vowed to extradite any persons employed at lyceums who had "links with terrorism" with the Gülen movement by conduct a joint inspection in educational institutions located within Kazakhstan.

[225] According to Nazarbayev's press secretary Aidos Ükıbai, the decision was a "logical continuation of the transit of power" with the party needing to be main support for Tokayev due to "the global crisis caused by the pandemic.

[230] Upon his diagnosis with COVID-19 in mid-June of that year, he received calls and telegrams of support from world leaders, including Vladimir Putin and King Abdullah II of Jordan[231] as well as former President of Croatia Stjepan Mesić.

"[246] Following the outbreak of protests after a sudden sharp increase in gas prices, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared a state of emergency in Mangystau Region and Almaty, effective from 5 January 2022.

[247] Questions regarding Nazarbayev's whereabouts arose as he was viewed to be the main target in the unrest with anti-Nazarbayev slogans being chanted throughout protests along with monuments and street names dedicated to him being vandalized and torn down.

[248][249] Rumours about Nazarbayev fleeing Kazakhstan was brought up by Echo of Moscow chief editor Alexei Venediktov, claiming that he was preparing to leave the country for unspecified treatment citing inner diplomatic circle.

[254] From there, Ükıbai stated that Nazarbayev "holds a number of consultative meetings" and is in direct contact with President Tokayev, whom he urged everyone to rally around with "to overcome current challenges and ensure the integrity" of Kazakhstan.

[255] During the address, Nazarbayev dismissed any rumours in regard to supposed inner conflict between the country's elite by calling them "absolutely groundless", insisting that he'd been a pensioner ever since handing over presidency to Tokayev whom he remarked "possesses full power" as he was set to be elected as the new chairman of the ruling Nur Otan party.

Nazarbayev is portrayed by Romanian actor Dani Popescu in the 2020 satirical film Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.