By Kulpash Konyrova

Astana, Mar 15 (EFE).- Kazakhs voted overwhelmingly in favor of change in an ambitious constitutional referendum on Sunday that opens a new chapter in the short history of the largest and most prosperous Central Asian republic, although the reform falls short of satisfying the most ardent supporters of democracy.

According to exit polls broadcast by national television shortly after midnight, between 86.7% and 88.6% of voters cast ballots in favor. Voter turnout exceeded 73%, according to the Central Electoral Commission, which will publish the official results on Monday.

“The Constitution adopted in 1995 fulfilled its role. Our country lived under that document for 35 years, but time does not stand still (…) I am convinced that this is the constitution of a progressive Kazakhstan,” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said after casting his vote at the Schoolchildren Palace in Astana.

Tokayev calls for a break with the past

Tokayev, 72, urged Kazakhs to look toward the future and modify 80% of the current constitution with young people in mind, given that the average age in this country bordering the Caspian Sea is 31.5 years.

“This is a constitution that looks to the future. A fundamental law dedicated to youth that should serve as a compass, a guide, especially for young people,” he said.

His objective is to definitively break with the dual power structure that has overshadowed his administration since he inherited the presidency in 2019 from the nation’s founding leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev, who also cast his vote on Sunday.

Looking to China, with which it shares a border, Kazakhstan aims to stop being merely a source of mineral resources and instead become a technologically advanced regional power. In addition to hydrocarbons, the country is the world’s largest producer of uranium.

Fear overshadows high turnout

The high participation allowed the referendum to be validated by midday, although, as has often been the case, the country’s former capital, Almaty, which is highly critical of the central government, registered only 33% turnout.

The vote was also marked by fear of expressing opposition to the referendum. An EFE reporter observed that many people, particularly young voters who tend to be more critical of the bureaucratic apparatus, refused to speak with the press for fear of reprisals.

Two local journalists were detained Sunday at the polling station where the president voted, after media outlets had reported pressure on journalists and obstacles faced by polling companies in the weeks leading up to the vote.

“If you change almost 84% of the articles of the constitution, then the debate should last at least a year. In this case, how can we talk about support for constitutional reform?” a young woman, speaking anonymously, told EFE.

In response, Tokayev said he had spent two years preparing the plebiscite and denied that the timing was related to a desire to extend his presidential mandate. He reiterated that the next elections will be held in 2029 as scheduled.

The press has speculated that he could run for United Nations secretary-general, for which he reportedly has the support of China, Russia, and the United States. Tokayev met with Donald Trump at the White House in late 2025.

“He is a brave leader,” Tokayev said today, explaining Kazakhstan’s decision to join the Board of Peace proposed by Trump.

Changes strengthen presidential power

The most significant changes introduced by the reform include the creation of a unicameral parliament, the Kurultai. It will replace the previous bicameral system with 145 members elected every five years through party lists. In addition, the position of vice president, who would replace the head of state in the event of resignation, removal, or death, has been restored.

According to experts, the legislature will become more independent and harder to control, partly due to the elimination of the presidential quota. However, some analysts and foreign observers warn that the new constitution will, in fact, strengthen presidential power and will not contribute to the separation of powers in a country with little political opposition.

Under the reform, the president will also appoint the heads of the Supreme Court, the Electoral Commission, the Court of Auditors, and the State Security Service. The head of state will also be able to dissolve the unicameral parliament if it rejects his proposed candidates twice, and for a period of two months, will be able to issue decrees with the force of law.

As for the vice president, the position will be appointed rather than elected, meaning the holder will require presidential approval. Critics also note that the constitution provides for the creation of a new consultative body, the People’s Council, which will also have legislative prerogatives and the ability to call referendums, potentially rivaling the Kurultai.

The new constitution also removes the article establishing the supremacy of international law over national legislation, bans foreign funding of political parties and trade unions, and stipulates that marriage is exclusively “a union between a man and a woman,” in line with other autocracies in the region such as Russia and Azerbaijan. EFE

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Almaty (Kazakhstan), 15/03/2026.- Local people cast their votes at a polling station in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 15 March 2026, during a nationwide referendum on a new Constitution. The proposed draft, initiated by Kazakh President Tokayev, would affect over 80 percent of the current Basic Law. Key reforms include the transition from a bicameral parliament to a unicameral legislature, the reintroduction of the office of Vice President, and a formal constitutional definition of marriage as a 'union between a man and a woman.' (Kazajstán) EFE/EPA/TIMUR BATYRSHIN

Almaty (Kazakhstan), 15/03/2026.- Local people cast their ballots at a polling station in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 15 March 2026, during a nationwide referendum on a new Constitution. The proposed draft, initiated by Kazakh President Tokayev, would affect over 80 percent of the current Basic Law. Key reforms include the transition from a bicameral parliament to a unicameral legislature, the reintroduction of the office of Vice President, and a formal constitutional definition of marriage as a 'union between a man and a woman.' (Kazajstán) EFE/EPA/TIMUR BATYRSHIN

Almaty (Kazakhstan), 15/03/2026.- Local people receive their ballots at a polling station in Almaty, Kazakhstan, 15 March 2026, during a nationwide referendum on a new Constitution. The proposed draft, initiated by Kazakh President Tokayev, would affect over 80 percent of the current Basic Law. Key reforms include the transition from a bicameral parliament to a unicameral legislature, the reintroduction of the office of Vice President, and a formal constitutional definition of marriage as a 'union between a man and a woman.' (Kazajstán) EFE/EPA/TIMUR BATYRSHIN

Otegen Batyr (Kazakhstan), 15/03/2026.- A local woman receives a ballot at a polling station in the village of Otegen Batyr, Ili District, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan, 15 March 2026, during a nationwide referendum on a new Constitution. The proposed draft, initiated by Kazakh President Tokayev, would affect over 80 percent of the current Basic Law. Key reforms include the transition from a bicameral parliament to a unicameral legislature, the reintroduction of the office of Vice President, and a formal constitutional definition of marriage as a 'union between a man and a woman.' (Kazajstán) EFE/EPA/TIMUR BATYRSHIN

Otegen Batyr (Kazakhstan), 15/03/2026.- A local man casts his ballot at a polling station in the village of Otegen Batyr, Ili District, Almaty Region, Kazakhstan, 15 March 2026, during a nationwide referendum on a new Constitution. The proposed draft, initiated by Kazakh President Tokayev, would affect over 80 percent of the current Basic Law. Key reforms include the transition from a bicameral parliament to a unicameral legislature, the reintroduction of the office of Vice President, and a formal constitutional definition of marriage as a 'union between a man and a woman.' (Kazajstán) EFE/EPA/TIMUR BATYRSHIN