Dariga Nazarbayeva

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Dariga Nazarbayeva. Photo by Mikhail Evstafiev

Dariga Nursultanqyzy Nazarbayeva (Kazakh: Дариға Нұрсұлтанқызы Назарбаева) (born 7 May 1963 in Temirtau, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union) is a Kazakh lawmaker and daughter of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

At one point she worked as head of the official state-run news agency, Khabar, but she no longer does. She formed the Kazakh political party Asar, Kazakh for "All together." Asar merged with the pro-Nazarbayev party Otan in July 2006.^[1]

Many analysts believe President Nazarbayev is preparing his daughter to succeed him upon his retirement or death. Her relationship with her father has deteriorated recently, in part due to the criticism of his administration she sometimes expresses.^[2]

She had a long marriage to Kazakh businessman and politician Rakhat Aliyev until their divorce in June 2007. Aliyev claims that the divorce was executed without his consent, and that it was forced by President Nazarbayev.^[3] Nazarbayeva has two sons with Aliyev, Nurali and Aisoultan.^[4] She also has a daughter Venera. She is also a grandmother. Nurali's wife gave birth to Laura Aliyev in 2003.^[5]

Dariga served as a jury member in the second season of SuperStar KZ.^{[citation needed]}. She is an avid amateur opera singer. In spite of the lack of formal vocal training Dariga often performs opera arias at various concerts and events.