Kazakh Leader: Constitutional Reform Equals New Constitution

At the fifth session of the Ulttyq Qurultay in Kyzylorda, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has announced that the upcoming constitutional reforms will be comparable in scale to the adoption of an entirely new Constitution.

The initial parliamentary reform plan envisaged amendments to about 40 constitutional articles, but the scope of changes expanded significantly during the process, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

In 2022, 33 articles were revised, and the forthcoming amendments will be even more extensive.

“In essence, we are on the threshold of a step equivalent to adopting a new Constitution,” Tokayev told delegates.

In this context, the president decided to establish a Constitutional Commission, with the relevant decree set to be signed imminently. The new body will comprise more than 100 members, including representatives of the Ulttyq Qurultay, leading legal experts, media figures, chairpersons of maslikhats, and members of regional public councils. The commission’s work will be led by the Chair of the Constitutional Court of Kazakhstan.

Tokayev emphasized that the commission will comprehensively review and systematize all proposals before drafting concrete amendments, after which the timing of a nationwide referendum will be determined.

Earlier, the president outlined plans to introduce the post of vice president of Kazakhstan, launch a new consultative platform known as Khalyk kenesi, and rename the future unicameral parliament as “Qurultay.”

The session in Kyzylorda brought together prominent public figures, representatives of political parties, civil society organizations, business leaders, experts, and members of regional public councils, underscoring the broad national dialogue surrounding the proposed reforms.