Kazakhstan approves constitutional reforms in national referendum

On Sunday, citizens of Kazakhstan approved a new constitution through a nationwide referendum with a reported turnout of 73.24%. Exit polls conducted by state media indicated that between 86.7% and 88.6% of voters supported the amendments. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who took office in 2019, presented these reforms as a transition from a "super-presidential" system to a republic with a stronger parliament and a more equitable political structure. The changes follow violent unrest in January 2022 that resulted in at least 238 deaths during protests against the rising cost of living. While the government describes the changes as democratization, some analysis suggests the amendments actually strengthen the president's authority. The new laws grant the president direct control over key appointments to the central bank, intelligence services, and the Constitutional Court. Kazakhstan remains a significant economic partner to the European Union while maintaining traditional alliances with Russia and China.