Toqayev: Parliamentary Reform Will Require Major Constitutional Changes

As part of the upcoming parliamentary reform, Kazakhstan is preparing to introduce major amendments to the Constitution, revising approximately 40 articles of the country’s fundamental law, Orda.kz reports.

According to Aqorda, President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev outlined the scope of the planned changes at the first meeting of the working group on parliamentary reform.

He emphasized that the amendments will have a direct impact on Kazakhstan’s future.

The transition to a unicameral parliament fully aligns with international trends. Two-thirds of the world’s countries have adopted this system. Now we need to develop unified and balanced proposals. It’s essential to study and consider all viewpoints before making final decisions,
 Toqayev said.

The president described the reform as a complex and sensitive political process, warning against rushing its implementation.

He stressed that such a significant step must be preceded by broad public discussion, as the country would, in effect, be rewriting its Constitution.

A number of constitutional amendments will be required, affecting around 40 articles. Following this, at least ten constitutional laws and more than fifty other laws and codes must be updated. This scale of work is comparable to adopting an entirely new Constitution and requires careful preparation,
 Toqayev noted.

The president added that parliamentary reform should not be viewed simply as the abolition of the Senate, but rather as a deep transformation of the entire representative branch of power.

The reform, he said, aims to modernize the governance model and align legislation with technological progress, including digitalization and artificial intelligence.

Perhaps e-Parlament will soon become as familiar a tool for citizens as our current e-government platform, eGov,
Toqayev remarked.

He also emphasized the need to professionalize parliament, curb populism, and ensure that public input plays a central role. Proposals submitted by citizens through the e-Otinish and eGov portals will be taken into account, along with expert opinions.

Orda.kz previously analyzed how many times Kazakhstan’s Constitution has been amended over the past 30 years and what results those changes produced.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny