Majilis Speaker votes as constitutional referendum underway in Kazakhstan
Chairman of the Majilis of the Kazakh Parliament Yerlan Koshanov cast his ballot in the 2026 constitutional referendum at polling station No. 128 in Astana, Qazinform News Agency reports.
I have no doubt that the referendum will be conducted fairly, honestly, and openly. We have traveled to different regions of the country, and we see the public mood and feel people’s support. There are no grounds to believe that anyone will violate the law. This is already the third referendum in the past four years. In the previous two referendums, there was active participation as well, said Koshanov.
The Majilis speaker noted that March 15 could become a historic day that will hold a special place in the country’s history.
The previous amendments were also driven by the needs of the people, their demands, and the requirements of the time. Six months ago, the president announced the start of parliamentary reform, and around 10,000-15,000 proposals were submitted. Among them were suggestions not only related to parliamentary reform but also to other articles of the Constitution. The Constitutional Commission reviewed all these proposals and supported the key ones, he added.
It is worth noting that the draft of the new Constitution also includes changes related to the activities of Parliament. In particular, it is proposed to replace the current bicameral Parliament with a unicameral Qurultay. If adopted, the number of deputies would be reduced to 145, and they would be elected for five-year terms through a proportional electoral system (party lists).
Previously, Qazinform reported Mayor of Kazakh capital Astana Zhenis Kassymbek was among the first to vote in the constitutional referendum, casting his ballot at polling station No. 51 at the Al Farabi Schoolchildren Palace.
To note, on March 15, a nationwide referendum on the draft of a new Constitution began in Kazakhstan. The first polling stations in the referendum on amendments to the Constitution of Kazakhstan were opened in Seoul and Tokyo, as well as in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, and Hong Kong.
Earlier, on February 11, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree calling for the national referendum to be held on March 15.
The starting point for the constitutional reform was Tokayev’s initiative to create a unicameral parliament in Kazakhstan. The president first presented the proposal on September 8, 2025, during his annual address to the nation.
