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Nursultan Nazarbayev stepped down as president of Kazakhstan on March 19, surprising citizens in the Central Asian nation. Nazarbayev ruled nearly 30 years, making him the longest-serving post-Soviet leader. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, parliament speaker, will be acting president until new elections are held next year. Nazarbayev will still wield considerable power over Kazakhstan as chairman of the security council. The 78-year old may avoid the fate of former Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov, who died in office before carrying out a succession plan. Karimov ruled Uzbekistan for 25 years until his death in 2016. Nazarbayev could choose his eldest daughter Dariga, 55, to succeed him, analysts said. Kazakhstan would become the second ex-Soviet state to form a family dynasty after Azerbaijan, which has been run by the Aliyev's since 1993.