87.15% of citizens voted in favor of new Constitution of Kazakhstan

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, Reuters reports.

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.