Kazakhstan approves new constitution: 87.15% vote in favour, election commission says

ALMATY, March 16 (Reuters) – Kazakhstan voted 87.15% in favour of adopting a new constitution, ​the Central Election Commission said ‌on Monday.

Voter turnout for the referendum stood at 73.12%, the commission said.

The new constitution streamlines the country’s ‌Parliament ​and recreates the ⁠office of vice president, ⁠which was abolished in 1996. It gives the president the right to appoint the vice ​president, as well as a host of other key ⁠officials.

The constitution’s swift ⁠drafting prompted some analysts ​in Kazakhstan to suggest that President ​Kassym-Jomart Tokayev might be looking ‌to anoint a successor as vice president and leave office early, or to stay in ⁠his post with a new constitution resetting his term limits.

After voting in the ⁠capital, ‌Astana, Tokayev, asked whether ⁠the constitution would facilitate ​a ‌coming transfer of power, ​said that ⁠the next presidential election would take place in 2029 when his term ends.

(Reporting by Mariya Gordeyeva; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and ​Thomas Derpinghaus)