Ruling party set for win in Kazakhstan vote

Polling stations closed today in energy-rich Kazakhstan after citizens voted in a parliamentary election expected to provide a commanding majority for ageing autocrat President Nursultan Nazarbayev's ruling party.
The vote came as the ex-Soviet country sees its once-booming economy slump on the back of falling oil prices and an economic crisis in northern neighbour Russia, but Nazarbayev's grip on power appears as firm as ever.
The 75-year-old strongman -- who has ruled Kazakhstan virtually unopposed since before its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 -- was elected to a new five-year term last year with 98 percent of the vote.

After casting his vote in the capital Astana today morning, Nazarbayev -- who has maintained close ties with ex-Soviet master Russia -- called on other countries "not to rush" Kazakhstan on its journey toward democracy.
"This is Asia," he said. "We have different relationships -- family relationships, a different religion and different opportunities between people."
Polling stations closed across the vast country at 1500 GMT in a ballot featuring six parties mostly supportive of Nazarbayev.

The Central Election Commission(CEC) claimed 75 percent of the electorate of nearly 10 million had cast votes by 1200 GMT today.
Standing in line to vote in Astana, Maral Akimbaeva, a 27-year-old worker for a state company, said she would "probably" vote for ruling party Nur Otan.

"If I am honest I don't see any difference between the parties. They all say the same thing," she told AFP.