On March 16, the Central Referendum Commission announced the results of the voting on the new draft of the Constitution, which received support from 87.15% of the citizens of Kazakhstan. During a briefing in Astana, it was reported that 9.83% (898,099 voters) voted against, while more than 146,000 ballots were declared invalid. The turnout was 73.1%, which allows the referendum to be considered valid, as participation of more than half of the voters was required.
The question posed to the citizens of Kazakhstan was: “Do you accept the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the draft of which was published in the media on February 12, 2026?”
The project, initiated by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, proposes a transition to a unicameral parliament and the abolition of self-nomination for deputies, who will now be elected from party lists. An important innovation will be the creation of an advisory body with legislative initiative rights — the Халық Кеңесі (People's Council), although the parameters for its formation have not yet been specified. Tokayev previously stated that this council will consist of 126 members appointed by the president. A vice-presidential position will also be introduced, which will be appointed by the head of state. The president is granted the right to appoint key officials in government bodies without parliamentary approval.
Critics argue that the new changes contribute to the strengthening of presidential powers and weaken the legislative branch, as well as limit civil liberties. However, Acorda officials claim that the proposed system of checks and balances will, on the contrary, strengthen democratic institutions and ensure the stable development of the country.
Before the official announcement of the voting results, Tokayev stated that March 15 will be celebrated as the new Constitution Day. Previously, this holiday was observed on August 30, the day the current Constitution was adopted in 1995. The last significant changes to the fundamental law were made during a referendum in 2022 following the events of Bloody January. At that time, Tokayev stated that he no longer planned to change the Constitution; however, in the fall of 2025, he proposed a new constitutional reform, noting that “life does not stand still.”
The post Results of the referendum on the new Constitution in Kazakhstan first appeared on the K-News website.
