The constitutional reform in Kazakhstan was approved by 77% of the votes following a referendum organized on Sunday in this Central Asian country and supposed to end the era of ex-president Nursultan Nazarbayev and his clan, in the orders for thirty years.

"The referendum can be considered validated," said the chairman of the Central Election Commission, Nourlan Abdirov, announcing these results and specifying that the participation rate exceeded 68%.

Deadly Disorders

Kazakhstan, rich in minerals and hydrocarbons, was rocked in January by violence that left more than 230 people dead.

These disturbances, the deadliest since the country's independence in 1991, were preceded by peaceful protests against rising fuel prices, then degenerated into clashes between law enforcement and civilians.

Before the riots, current Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, 69, was widely seen as the henchman of Nazarbayev, 81, who resigned in 2019, but continued to play a big role behind the scenes .

But the January violence marked a turning point, with Tokayev appearing to have taken advantage of the crisis to curb his predecessor's influence and oust some of those close to him.

One third of the amended Constitution

The constitutional changes, submitted to a referendum on Sunday, provide for an amendment of around a third of the articles of Kazakh basic law and, in particular, the stripping of Nazarbayev's title of "Elbasy" - "Head of the nation" - , a status that gives him considerable authority.

An amendment provides that the relatives of the leaders cannot occupy major government functions, a measure clearly aimed at the Nazarbayev family.

According to Tokayev, the constitutional revision aims to remove the current "super-presidential" regime, long marked by the cult of the personality of Nursultan Nazarbayev.

After the January crisis, Tokayev publicly criticized Nazarbayev, accusing him of having protected the “rich”.

A nephew of the former head of state, Kaïrat Satybaldy, was arrested in March, accused of embezzlement.

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