Kazakh voters back constitutional overhaul in referendum, exit polls show
Astana— Voters in Kazakhstan approved a new constitution in a referendum on Sunday, exit polls showed, a move that could potentially allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to remain in power beyond 2029.
Two exit polls indicated that about 87% of voters supported the constitutional rewrite, while turnout reached 73%, according to earlier data from the electoral commission.
The new constitution restructures parliament and reinstates the post of vice president, which had been abolished in 1996. Under the revised framework, the president would gain the authority to appoint the vice president as well as several other senior officials.
The rapid drafting of the document has prompted debate among political analysts in Kazakhstan about its potential political implications.
Some observers suggest Tokayev may be preparing to appoint a successor as vice president and step down early, while others argue the constitutional change could reset his presidential term limits.
Both the existing and the proposed constitutions restrict presidents to a single seven-year term, a provision introduced by Tokayev in 2022.After casting his vote in the capital, Astana, Tokayev said the next presidential election would take place in 2029 when his current term expires.
“Some experts suggest that competition for power in Kazakhstan is intensifying,” Tokayev said. “However, there are absolutely no grounds for worry that this will have a negative impact on society.”
Opposition to the constitutional overhaul appeared limited, with state-approved pollsters showing broad support for the changes. Since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan’s authorities have maintained tight control over political activity in the nation of about 20 million people.
In a rare public comment, former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, who ruled the country from 1991 to 2019, said he had voted in favour of the new constitution.
In a statement posted on his website, the 85-year-old said he had entrusted the presidency to Tokayev and continued to support that decision, expressing hope that the new constitution would benefit the country and its people.
Once Tokayev’s political patron, Nazarbayev was stripped of his remaining official roles after unrest in January 2022 in which hundreds were killed.
Tokayev has described the violence as a coup attempt involving elements of the security services loyal to the former leader, and several longtime Nazarbayev allies have since been imprisoned.
