US EditionKazakhstanis vote in referendum on new constitution that would cement president’s grip on power
About 87% of voters approved changes expanding presidential powers and merging parliament into a single chamber, with critics warning of power concentration risks.
- On Sunday, Kazakhs head to the polls in a referendum on expanding presidential powers, with over half of approximately 12.5 million registered voters having cast ballots by 2:00 pm, electoral authorities reported.
- President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev frames the overhaul as post-2022 reforms to enable quicker decisions and rebalance ties with the European Union, Russia, and China.
- The proposals would merge the parliament's two chambers into the Kurultai and abolish the Senate, giving the president appointment powers including restoring the vice‑president post.
- Authorities mobilised famous athletes and workers in the mining and oil industries to boost turnout, while several critics were summoned or briefly detained and journalists fined, international observers said elections are often predictable.
- The amendments would allow the president to dissolve parliament and rule by executive orders if nominees are rejected twice, and analyst Temur Umarov warned it could reset presidential term limits; rights groups say democratic institutions remain tightly controlled.
121 Articles
121 Articles
The Northern Virginia Daily
Kazakhstan's new constitution cementing president's grip on power approved in a referendum
A new constitution that strengthens President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s grip on power in Kazakhstan, Central Asia’s largest country, has won overwhelming approval in a referendum. The country’s Central Election Commission announced that over 87% of respondents in Sunday’s vote supported the…
Kazakh voters back constitutional overhaul, exit polls show
Voters in Kazakhstan approved a new constitution in a referendum on Sunday, exit polls showed, in a move critics say could strengthen presidential powers and potentially allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to remain in power beyond 2029. Two exit polls indicated that about 87% of voters backed the new constitution, with turnout at around 73%, according to the election commission. What are the key amendments under the new constitution? Under th…
In Kazakhstan, 86 percent of citizens voted in favour of a new constitution, strengthening the president and further restricting freedom of expression.
Over 80% of Kazakh voters back constitutional changes, exit poll suggests
Exit poll results released after Kazakhstan's national referendum on Sunday suggest overwhelming support for proposed constitutional amendments, The Astana Times reported on Monday, citing multiple surveys.As many as 86.7% of participating voters supported the changes, with the voter turnout estimated to be 75.3%, according to a survey by the Eurasian Institute for Integration, the Kazakh newspaper reported.Referring to another exit poll conduct…
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