A majority of voters in Kazakhstan have voted to approve a constitutional referendum that contains many provisions to ensure that presidential power is limited, signaling a move towards democracy for the former Soviet state. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held the referendum, a first for the country in twenty-seven years, with a voter turnout of 68.06%, according to the country’s Central Election Commission. 77.18% of voters supported the referendum, which includes constitutional amendments to limit the influence of particular political elites on the government and will establish a constitutional court. The referendum directly targets former president Nursultan Nazarbayev who ruled the country for thirty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union but continues to have a substantial influence on the government, even after stepping down from the presidency in 2019.

The referendum’s approval has received widespread support from many members of government, as well as the majority of citizens. President Tokayev has signaled his support for the referendum and aims to continue the momentum for constitutional reform, stating, “We have shown that we are united in building the new, just Kazakhstan…We must review the legislation which allowed a small group of people to concentrate the country’s economic resources in their hands and enjoy preferential status.” Yerkin Tukumov, director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, which has conducted surveys regarding the referendum, believes that the high voter turnout for the referendum exemplifies a “new level of consolidation of the citizens” and has stated that “the stability of the country depends on how effective the new model of public administration will be.” Deputy of Senate Lyazzat Suleimen also showed her support for the referendum and applauded civilian activism that contributed to its success: “The civic activism and political culture of the people made it possible to hold a referendum within the limits of the law…Despite the alternative and critical views, the constitutional reforms were adopted because they meet the urgent needs of society.”

When passed, the constitutional referendum signals an important step towards democracy for Kazakhstan, which experienced authoritarian rule for many years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Surrounded by neighboring authoritarian states such as Russia, China, and Afghanistan, the implementation of democracy in Kazakhstan has the potential to provide stability in the region and promote trends toward democratization for neighboring states. The international community, especially solidified democracies in the West, should state their support for the referendum in order to ensure that democracy will be put in place in Kazakhstan, a strategically beneficial move for Western states aiming to promote democracy in the region. Proponents of democracy and advocates for peace should support the people of Kazakhstan in their approval of the constitutional referendum, as it will allow for citizens to have more of a voice in their government and experience the benefits of democracy.

President Tokayev introduced the referendum following an outbreak of violent protests in Kazakhstan in January 2022, which left 230 people dead. The protests started as a response to a spike in prices in the country but morphed into protests against high rates of inequality between political elites and the general public. Though former president Nazarbayev stepped down from office in 2019, he maintained a prominent role in government as head of the ruling party and member of the country’s national security council. Many of his family members and political allies also maintained prominent positions in government, which many citizens viewed as unjust. After the protests were stifled, President Tokayev, who Nazarbayev handpicked to be his successor, announced widespread measures to target presidential power and remove Nazarbayev and his allies from the government through the referendum, appealing to the desires of the majority of citizens.

The approval of the constitutional referendum in Kazakhstan demonstrates an exciting move towards democracy for the former authoritarian state and signals strong prospects for peace within the country, which recently experienced violent unrest. The international community should support President Tokayev’s constitutional reform in order to secure Kazakhstan as a democratic ally in such an influential region and promote peace within the country and throughout the region.