Referendum on amendments to the constitution of Kazakhstan. File photoNUR-SULTAN, June 6Amendments to Kazakhstan's constitution were supported by 77.18 percent of voters in a referendum, Nurlan Abdirov, chairman of the republic's Central Election Commission, said at a briefing.
" 77.18 percent of those who voted for a positive solution to the issue submitted to the republican referendum, which is 6,163,863 people from those who took part in the voting in all regions of the country. This amounted to an absolute majority in each of the 17 regions", said Abdirov.
He explained that the requirement of the constitutional law «on the need to support the majority of citizens in at least two-thirds of the regions, cities of republican significance, the capital is observed.» Voting took place on June 5. According to the legislation of Kazakhstan, in order to adopt amendments and additions to the constitution, they must be supported by more than half of the citizens who took part in the vote in at least two-thirds of regions, cities of republican significance and the capital. There are 17 regions in the country, including 14 regions, the capital and two cities of republican significance. The Central Election Commission earlier reported that the turnout in the referendum after the closure of all polling stations located in the republic, according to preliminary data, was 68.44 percent. According to the results of exit polls conducted by research centers, the amendments to the constitution were supported by 74.8-79.4 percent of voters. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said that the coup attempt in January 2022 confirmed the need for an early political modernization of the country, in in connection with which the authorities submitted amendments to the basic law for a referendum.The SCO observer mission recognized the referendum in Kazakhstan as democratic. They are designed to consolidate the final transition from a «super-presidential» form of government to a presidential republic with an influential parliament and an accountable government. To this end, the amendments reduce the excessive concentration of presidential powers. Thus, the participation of the head of state in the formation of the upper house of parliament is reduced, his influence on local representative and executive bodies is limited. In addition, a ban is introduced on the president's membership in political parties for the period of being in power. Similar requirements will apply to chairmen and members of the CEC, the counting committee, heads of regions and their deputies. The amendments also prohibit close relatives of the president from holding leadership positions in state and quasi-state structures. Some amendments are aimed at respecting the rights and freedoms of citizens, including the creation of a constitutional court, the consolidation of the status of an ombudsman at the constitutional level, and an unconditional ban on the death penalty. In addition, references to the status, powers and privileges of the first president of the country will be removed from the updated constitution.