Kazakh citizens vote in Brussels on amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Brussels, June 5, 2022 – On Sunday, the 5th of June, at polling station No. 241, organized at the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the Kingdom of Belgium, citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan living or staying in Belgium and Luxembourg were able to take part in their country’s democratic process and vote on the important nationwide referendum concerning amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

On the day of the referendum, members of the Kazakh diaspora in Europe also came to the Embassy to witness their Kazakh-citizen countrymen and women, as they exercised their constitutional rights and privilege by voting, and thus directly participating in the law-making decisions of our country.

According to Mr. Timur Sultangozhin, Minister Counselor of the Embassy in Belgium and Chairman of the election commission of the Brussels polling station, the diplomatic institution has made every effort to reach out to the eligible voters to remind them of their civic responsibilities and duties and strongly encouraging them to cast their votes in the referendum. Communication includes notices on the Embassy website and announcements via social networks and instant messengers. 

According to the diplomat, the response of the Kazakhstani citizenry living in this part of Europe has been robust, and the constant flow of voters to the polling station throughout the day testifies to the deep patriotic feelings of Kazakh citizens even when they must spend some time working or traveling outside of the country.   

As has been the custom at the Embassy, the election commission made some special acknowledgments, including one for the citizen who arrived to vote first, before any other; and another to young Kazakhstanis exercising their right to vote for the first time, by offering them some mementos to remind them of the occasion.

In fact, voting events at the Embassy in Brussels have become more than official events—they provide a welcome opportunity for compatriots far from their homeland to meet together and celebrate their cultural and national kinship and their feeling of nostalgia and pride in their homeland. 

Thus on this day, June 5, 2022, the Kazakhstanis participated in the nationwide vote on the question “Do you accept the amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, set out in the draft Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan, “On amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan,” published in the media 6 May 2022” These amendments were initiated by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev. If adopted, the changes will affect one-third of the Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan.