The Asar public movement transformed itself into a political party and unanimously elected Darigha Nazarbaeva, eldest daughter of Kazakh President, the party's leader

At a congress in Almaty on 25 October, the Asar (All Together) public movement transformed itself into a political party and unanimously elected Darigha Nazarbaeva, eldest daughter of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev, the party's leader. The congress was attended by 1,300 delegates, who also selected a seven-person leadership council and adopted a party platform. At a news conference following the congress, Nazarbaeva rejected claims that she has presidential ambitions. "There is no alternative to [President Nazarbaev]" for the next 10 years, she said, and advised his opponents not to waste resources on presidential campaigns, saying that if they try to unseat him, "they will lose." The next presidential election is due in December 2006. She added that, although she regards pro-presidential parties as Asar's natural allies, her party will actively compete against them in the parliamentary elections scheduled for autumn 2004.