Kazakhstan is on track to approve a change to its constitution on Sunday, according to exit polls released after a referendum to end the term of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who has ruled for 30 years.
The constitutional referendum on Sunday should change approximately one-third of the articles of Kazakh basic law and, in particular, remove Mr. Nazarbayev’s title ofElbassy – head of state – a status that gives him great authority.
Three polls indicate that the constitutional changes have garnered more than 74% of the vote in favor, the government of Central Asia’s largest former Soviet republic said in a Telegram messaging.
The electoral commission announced a turnout of nearly 68% an hour before polls closed.
Kazakhstan, rich in minerals and hydrocarbons, was rocked in January by violence that killed more than 230 people.
These unrest, the deadliest since the country’s independence in 1991, were preceded by peaceful protests against rising oil prices, then turned into clashes between law enforcement and civilians.
Prior to the riots, current Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 69, was widely seen as Mr Nazarbayev’s henchmen. The latter resigned in 2019, but continues to play an important role behind the scenes.
However, the violence in January marked a turning point, Mr. Tokayev apparently taking advantage of the crisis to curb the influence of his predecessor and oust some of his relatives.
An amendment proposed in the referendum provides that relatives of leaders cannot hold key positions in government, a proposal clearly aimed at the Nazarbayev family.
According to Mr. Tokayev, the revision of the constitution aims to remove the current regime super-presidentialhas long been marked by the cult of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s personality.
No campaign for No. took place in this state known for suppressing all critical voices.
In Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, small queues formed outside polling stations, theAFP.
Ayan, an 18-year-old student who voted for the first time in his life, said he was pleased that Mr Nazarbayev’s privileged status had been removed.
The former president has a place in our history books, but all citizens must be equal before the constitutiondid he declare.
However, in the capital of Nur-Sultan, Bolat, a 46-year-old businessman, explained that he would not vote because of this referendum. is a formality intended to consolidate the position of current power.
A struggle for power
The unrest in January, which began with peaceful protests against rising energy prices, devastated central Almaty. However, they saved the capital Nur-Sultan, the former Astana, which was renamed in 2018 in honor of Mr. Nazarbayev.
Accused by President Tokayev terrorists to want to take power.
The arrest, on January 8, of a relative of Mr. Nazarbayev, Karim Massimov, then head of the National Security Council, has nevertheless sparked rumors of a struggle for power.
After the crisis, Mr. Tokayev also publicly criticized Mr. Nazarbayev, accusing him of protecting the rich. A nephew of the former head of state, Kaïrat Satybaldy, was arrested in March, accused of embezzlement.
However, Mr. Tokayev also praised the work done by Noursultan Nazarbayev, a former Communist Party official who built this vast country covered by steppes by relying on the windfall of hydrocarbons.
MM. Both Nazarbayev and Tokayev promote close ties with neighboring Russia, while maintaining partnerships with the West and China.
During the riots, Mr. Tokayev sought help from Moscow, which sent troops as part of the military alliance that united the two countries. The Kremlin ensures that this intervention has no political counterpart.
Since January, Nursultan Nazarbayev has hardly appeared in public. But he gave an interview on Monday in which he called for a vote in favor of the constitutional revision.
Source: Radio-Canada
