In Kazakhstan, a clear majority of voters approved constitutional amendments proposed by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in a referendum earlier this month. The reforms for more decentralisation of decision-making in the oil-rich country, as well as stripping former strongman Nursultan Nazarbayev of his “national leader” status.
Turnout was 68.06% and 77.18% of Sunday’s votes were in favour of the amendments, according to the Central Election Commission.
Tokayev stated in a reaction:
“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.”
The developments follow deadly civil unrest in January, which included an attempted coup by security officials, Reuters reports.
Nearly 80% of Kazakhs vote for constitutional changes as President Tokayev aims to come out of the shadow of his former mentor and founding leader Nursultan Nazarbayev ⤵️ https://t.co/yJObYVWmEC
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 6, 2022
After Russia helped Tokayev to put down the revolt, in the context of Russia’s invasion, Tokayev has avoided to wade in, however urging all sides to act in line with the U.N. charter. The country has however changed the name of the oil it exports through Russian sea ports to “Kazakhstan Export Blend Crude Oil” (KEBCO). The purpose of this to dissociate it from Russian oil, in a bid to not be affect by Western sanctions. Recently, Russian crude oil has been difficult to sell, not only due to the sanctions but also due to self-sanctioning by European companies.
Writing for The Central Asia Caucasus Analyst, academics Svante E. Cornell and Albert Barro comment on the reforms submitted to the popular vote, noting:
“The June 5 referendum may easily be dismissed as a foregone conclusion. But while the result of the referendum is hardly in question, its purpose is quite worthwhile: it seeks to engage Kazakh society in the reform process.
(…)
The March 16 package of political reforms will not immediately change Kazakhstan, or turn it into a consolidated democracy. However, it constitutes one step on a long road of reform. It also constitutes an important step in a bigger question, which is how post-Soviet political systems can best be transformed in a positive direction.”
"While the political aspects of reforms in #Kazakhstan have gained considerable attention, econ reforms are an equally strong focus of President #Tokayev’s policy agenda." writes @afpc's CACI Dir. @SvanteCornell and researcher Albert "Mikey" Barro. https://t.co/nvKsF9WHJm
— CACI-SRSP (@CACI_SilkRoad) December 14, 2021
Separately, as demonstrators protested earlier this month to urge Kazakh authorities do more to protect ethnic Kazakhs who have been caught up in the Chinese sweep in Xinjiang, Radio Free Europe remarks:
“Kazakhstan’s government, however, has been wary of angering Beijing, which is a major investor in Kazakhstan and throughout Central Asia.”
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