Kazakhstan will hold a referendum on March 15 for a new constitution, which could allow President Tokayev to remain in power after 2029.

Kazakhstan has announced the organization of a referendum on March 15 for the adoption of a new constitution, which could allow President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to remain in power after 2029. The draft constitution proposes replacing the two legislative chambers with a single one, reducing the number of parliamentarians, and reinstating the vice-presidential position, abolished in 1996.

Tokayev, who took over the presidency in 2019, has been limited to a seven-year term until 2029, but the new constitution could annul this term, providing him with a 'loophole' for a new candidacy. This measure comes in a delicate internal context, with tax increases and inflation, while the country's oil industry, which significantly contributes to the global economy, has been affected. Tokayev has managed to strengthen his power by removing the influence of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, following the unrest in 2022. Kazakhstan, a major economy in Central Asia, maintains close relations with the West, Russia, and China.