New Kazakh president sworn in after longtime leader resigns

The speaker of Kazakhstan's parliament was sworn in as interim president on Wednesday, a day after longtime leader Nursultan Nazarbayev abruptly resigned.

Nazarbayev surprised many by announcing in a televised address Tuesday that he would step down after nearly 30 years in office that has included the whole of Kazakhstan's time as an independent nation.

The 78-year-old Nazarbayev attended Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's inauguration Wednesday, entering to lengthy applause from assembled dignitaries before taking a seat on a podium behind the lectern where Tokayev gave an address.

Minutes after Tokayev was sworn in, he suggested that the Kazakh capital Astana be renamed Nursultan to honour the outgoing president.

Tokayev in his speech praised Nazarbayev as "an outstanding reformer" who is widely expected to continue to wield influence as chairman of the security council and head of the ruling party.

"Nazarbayev is not stepping down; he is stepping up," Dmitri Trenin, director of the Carnegie Center in Moscow, tweeted.

"He will oversee power transit over the next few years."