Tokayev elected Kazakh president – early results

Kazakhstan’s interim president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has won a snap presidential election with 70.76 percent of votes, the Central Election Commission said on Monday.

Tokayev, previously chosen as the successor to veteran ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev, who retains sweeping powers, won a race against six rivals largely unknown to Kazakh voters.

Nazarbayev’s eldest daughter Dariga became the speaker of the Senate in March, the post previously held by Tokayev.

Police have detained nearly 100 people, who took to the streets of Nur-Sultan and Almaty during the presidential election on Sunday, TASS quoted First Deputy Interior Minister Marat Kozhayev as saying.