The referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution of Kazakhstan is officially considered held. The turnout threshold has been reached. This was reported by the Central Referendum Commission, VRKNews.kz reports.
Recall that for the first time in the country's history amendments to the Constitution have been put to a nationwide referendum in Kazakhstan. If more than 50% of citizens with the right to vote take part, the referendum must be considered held.
According to preliminary data from the Central Referendum Commission, turnout was 53.43% at 14:00 Nur-Sultan time, it is reported on the website of the Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan.
It is noted that the highest turnout is in Kyzylorda region — 65.3%.
In Almaty 23.6% voted, and in Nur-Sultan 41.13% of citizens. Voter turnout by region: Mangistau region — 43.36%, Aktobe region — 45.64%, Atyrau region — 50.68%, West Kazakhstan region — 53.58%, Turkestan region — 53.63%, Akmola region — 56.89%, Pavlodar region — 57.79%, Almaty region — 58.07%, Shymkent — 59.32%, Karaganda region 61.08%, North Kazakhstan region — 62.41%, Kostanay region — 62.47%, Zhambyl region — 63.46%, East Kazakhstan region — 64.21%.
Interior Ministry: no breaches of order
Atygai Arystanov, chairman of the Administrative Police Committee of the Interior Ministry, said that no violations have so far been registered during the republican referendum in Kazakhstan.
“Under the law, the internal affairs bodies have been tasked with maintaining public order during the referendum. All personnel of the internal affairs bodies are working in an enhanced mode. Literally before the ballots were delivered, all polling stations were checked for safety, including fire safety. At the moment personnel are working in an enhanced mode. In general the situation across the country is stable and no violations have been registered so far,” Atygai Arystanov said during an online telethon.
The Interior Ministry promised to provide more detailed information in the evening.
“Kazakhstan came to the vote fully prepared”
Today in Nur-Sultan an information centre for international observers is working at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel. They hold a press conference every hour and share their opinions on the course of the republican referendum. Leonid Anfimov, head of the observer mission from the Commonwealth of Independent States, noted that Kazakhstan came to the vote fully prepared. The CIS observer mission has no serious remarks either on the technical side of preparing the referendum or on possible violations of current legislation. According to him, CIS observers are following the referendum in practically all cities of republican significance and four regional centres.
Nazarbayev and Tokayev have voted
First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and the current head of state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev voted in the morning.
Nazarbayev's press secretary Aidos Ukibai posted on Twitter a photo of the ex-president beside the ballot box.
“Nursultan Nazarbayev voted in the nationwide referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” he wrote.
Nursultan Nazarbayev voted in the nationwide referendum on amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan #referendum2022 pic.twitter.com/iMmrRUcvBP
— Aidos Ukibay (@Aidos_Ukibay) June 5, 2022
Tokayev cast his vote in Nur-Sultan, at polling station No. 59, located in the new Palace of Schoolchildren.
Tokayev also gave a short interview to journalists after voting, answering one of the main questions about the January events, including the 20 thousand terrorists.
“As for the 20 thousand, this figure was provided by former heads of law enforcement bodies, and it referred to the whole country. You know that in 13 cities bandit raids against the authorities were launched simultaneously with the aim of disrupting public order. Now 5,500 criminal cases have been opened, 500 criminal cases have been sent to court. And I would like to draw attention to the fact that only 23 people have been given real prison terms. That is, this shows that we are approaching the investigation of this tragic case very thoroughly. As I have already said, we are confident that there will be no repetition of the tragic January in our country. And the guarantee of this, by the way, is today's referendum. We have drawn the appropriate lessons,” Tokayev said.
What the referendum in Kazakhstan is about
Recall that on Sunday, 5 June, a republican referendum on amendments to the Constitution is being held in Kazakhstan. Citizens of the republic are to answer a single question: “Do you accept the changes and additions to the Constitution set out in the draft Law ‘On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution’ published in the mass media on 6 May 2022?”
The referendum is intended to cement Kazakhstan's final transition from a super-presidential to a presidential form of government within the plan of political reforms proposed by Tokayev.
In particular, it is proposed to reduce the president's role in forming the upper chamber of parliament, limit his influence on local representative and executive bodies, and ban his membership of political parties for the period of his presidency.
In addition, references to the status, powers and privileges of the first president are being removed from the Constitution. In a recent interview Nazarbayev noted that he had always supported Tokayev's actions to reform the country and assured that he would support them this time too.
Voting began at 07:00 local time and will last until 20:00 (from 04:00 to 17:00 Moscow time). The referendum will be considered held if more than half of voters take part in it. For the amendments to be adopted, they must be supported by more than 50% of those who voted in no fewer than two thirds of the regions, cities of republican significance and the capital.
Polling stations will close at 20:00 (17:00 Moscow time). In all, more than 10 thousand polling stations are working on voting day, including 65 in 52 foreign countries. More than 11.7 million Kazakhstanis are on the electoral rolls, in a republic with a population of over 19.1 million.
