Kazakh leader proposes referendum on constitutional reform

NUR-SULTAN (Reuters) -Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed holding a referendum on constitutional reform, his workplace mentioned on Friday, as a substitute of working the amendments by means of parliament.

Tokayev has this yr proposed numerous modifications to the structure that might decentralise decision-making within the oil-rich Central Asian nation.

On Friday, he mentioned that as a result of the proposals would change one-third of the structure, it will make extra sense for residents to vote on them immediately.

Tokayev didn’t say when the referendum may very well be held.

The previous Soviet republic final held a referendum in 1995 when it adopted its present structure, which was subsequently amended repeatedly by parliament.

Elected president in 2019, Tokayev strengthened his place this yr by sidelining his predecessor and former patron Nursultan Nazarbayev. He then introduced plans for a broad vary of reforms that might usher in a “second republic”.

(Reporting by Tamara VaalWriting by Olzhas Auyezov; enhancing by John Stonestreet)