Tokayev
At an expanded government meeting, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced Kazakhstan's transition to a presidential republic, definitively abandoning the "super-presidential" form of governance. He emphasized that the new Constitution lays the foundation for the consistent development of the political system based on the concept of "Strong president – influential parliament – accountable government."
Speaking about political reforms, Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan is completing the process of transitioning to a new governance model with an emphasis on an authoritative parliament. "A historical analysis of the reforms of recent years shows that we are moving towards a presidential republic," he remarked.
According to Tokayev, the proposed changes to the Constitution further strengthen this process and require a complete reboot of the constitutional foundations of the state. He clarified that changes to the Basic Law will allow for the redistribution of powers within the system of governance, improving the balance of checks and balances, which in turn will enhance the effectiveness of political institutions.
"In the new Constitution, the principle 'the state for the person, not the person for the state' has become more tangible. This is what we have been striving for since 2019," the president added.
On January 31, a draft of the new constitution was published, which includes amendments to 77 out of 101 existing articles. The implementation of the reform is overseen by a Constitutional Commission consisting of 130 members, led by the chairman of the Constitutional Court.
The reform began with Tokayev's proposal to introduce a unicameral parliament, announced on September 8, 2025. Currently, Kazakhstan's parliament consists of two chambers: the Senate and the Mazhilis.
