Kazakh election authorities on Saturday registered long-standing leader Nursultan Nazarbayev's candidacy for an early presidential election in April.
Last week, Nazarbayev called an early poll for April 3 after rejecting a planned referendum to extend his term until 2020, bypassing polls scheduled for 2012 and 2017. The country's parliament voted in favor of the referendum last month.
The leader announced his candidacy on Friday.
Nazarbayev, 70, has led Kazakhstan since it broke away from the Soviet Union in 1991, and is expected to win easily.
Observers say Nazarbayev's decision to drop the referendum plan was little more than window dressing aimed at boosting his international image.
ASTANA, February 12 (RIA Novosti)
