Kazakhstan president calls snap elections

Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev signed a decree Wednesday dissolving parliament and calling snap elections for January 15. Nazarbayev authorised the country's election commission to "organise the preparation and holding of snap elections" a day after he said the parliament, made up entirely of his supporters, should have at least two parties. "I decree ... to dissolve the Mazhilis parliament of Kazakhstan ... and call snap elections for deputies of the Mazhilis elected through party lists for January 15, 2012," Nazarbayev said in a statement on his website. The president said through his press service on Tuesday that the Kazakh parliament was in need of renewal in pursuit of the country's democratic development. All the seats in the Mazhilis are held by supporters of the ruling Nur Otan Party. Kazakhstan had been due to hold legislative elections in summer 2012 but the country has become known in recent years for calling snap polls ahead of schedule.