President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced a proposal to organize a referendum regarding the recent changes in the Constitution at the XXXI session of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan. The head of State stated that this event “will be a vivid demonstration of the will of the people”.
Voting on the amendments
The referendum shall be held across the whole country. The subject of a referendum may be the adoption of the Constitution, constitutional laws, laws, amendments, and additional resolutions of other most important issues of state life of the Republic.
"The referendum will allow every citizen to directly participate in deciding the fate of the country and will strengthen our course toward comprehensive democratization and the construction of a New Kazakhstan."
Referendums have been held twice in the history of Kazakhstan. The first one was held on April 29, 1995, concerning the extension of the presidential term. The subject of the second referendum held on August 30, 1995, was the draft of a new Constitution of Kazakhstan.
The amendments concern 33 articles of the Basic Law, which is a third of the entire Constitution. Here are the main ones:
The earth and its subsoil, waters, flora and fauna, and other natural resources belong to the people;
The death penalty is prohibited;
During his term, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall not belong to a political party;
Close relatives of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall not have the right to hold positions of political state employees and heads of quasi-public sector entities.
