Birgit Brauer
Birgit Brauer, Ph.D., is an Almaty-based analyst and journalist who writes for the The Economist and other publications on Central Asian affairs.
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Articles by Birgit Brauer
Calls for Police Reform in Kazakhstan after Murder of Olympic Medalist Denis Ten
The murder of Kazakhstan’s Olympic figure skater Denis Ten in downtown Almaty, on July 19, aroused public grief and outrage as well as calls for police reforms. Two days later,
Crisis in Crimea: Will Kazakhstan Be Next?
Moscow’s military intervention in Crimea and the peninsula’s upcoming March 16 referendum on whether to leave Ukraine and join Russia has caused muted official reaction in Central Asia. Nonetheless, Russia’s
Rebranding Kazakhstan by Changing Its Name
President Nursultan Nazarbayev has suggested changing his country’s name from Kazakhstan to “Kazakh Yeli”—meaning the “Land of the Kazakhs”—during a visit to the nation’s oil capital Atyrau on February 6.
Post-Election Crackdown in Kazakhstan on Government Critics and the Media
After years of concerted efforts by the Kazakh authorities and hired foreign public relations firms to burnish Kazakhstan’s international profile, the long nourished and cherished image of an open and
Kazakh Leader Extends State of Emergency in Zhanaozen
Calm has been restored in the oil-rich western part of Kazakhstan after clashes between police and protesters on December 16-17 that left at least 16 people dead and more than
Parliamentary Election In Kazakhstan: Who Will Come In Second?
A total of eight political parties have registered for the upcoming parliamentary election in Kazakhstan on January 15, yet the outcome is already fairly clear. President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s party, Nur
Is Kazakhstan Threatened By Islamic Terrorists?
Kazakh police in the western Atyrau oblast have arrested three men in connection with two bomb explosions in the downtown area of the city of Atyrau, the “oil capital” of
Presidential Health Scare In Kazakhstan Triggers Media Mudslinging Contest On Succession
Discussion about who might become the next president of Kazakhstan after the long-serving incumbent, Nursultan Nazarbayev, leaves the political scene has been a favorite pastime for years for anyone with
Rearrangement of Players: No Major Government Shakeup in Kazakhstan
The expected cabinet reshuffle in Kazakhstan following President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s landslide re-election victory on April 3 and inauguration five days later was relatively sparing. Although one-third of the ministers –
Kazakhstan’s “Virtual” Presidential Election Campaign
It has all the accouterments of a real contested election. Four candidates are vying for Kazakhstan’s highest office in the land. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
Rumors of Secret Land Lease to China Causes Unease in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstani people are generally not prone to air their political views in public. This is partly due to apathy, a fact regularly deplored by activists, and to some extent to
Kazakhstan to Kick Off its “People’s IPO” With KazMunaiGaz
Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev has announced that five percent of London-listed KazMunaiGaz Exploration and Development (KMG EP), a subsidiary of the national oil and gas company KazMunaiGaz (KMG), will be
Kazakh Presidential Hopefuls Keen on Participating – Not Winning
Although Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to coast to an easy re-election victory on April 3, the predictable poll is full of unexpected color. A total of 22 presidential
Kazakhstan’s Leading Opposition Party Azat Boycotts Upcoming Presidential Elections
Kazakhstan’s main opposition party Azat intends to boycott the country’s presidential polls to be held in early April, which President Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to win by a wide margin.