President
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the first meeting of the working group on
parliamentary reform, established by his decree last week. The group includes representatives
of Parliament, the government, political parties, legal experts, scholars, and
public figures. Tokayev emphasized that the transition to a unicameral
Parliament is a historic decision for Kazakhstan and will directly shape the nation’s future. Therefore, such a crucial step requires
comprehensive and broad discussion, as well as carefully considered decisions. All proposals, including those submitted through the e-Otinish and e-gov
portals, will need to be thoroughly reviewed.
«For me, as Head of State, Parliament is a key element
of the country’s political system. Therefore, first and foremost, it will be
necessary to introduce a number of amendments to the Constitution, affecting
about 40 articles of the Basic Law. After that, at least 10 constitutional laws
and more than 50 codes and laws will need to be brought into alignment. This
process is, in essence, comparable to adopting a new Constitution. It is clear
that completing this work all at once is impossible — thorough preparation is required,»
the President
said.
Tokayev stressed that moving to a unicameral
Parliament fully aligns with international practice, as two-thirds
of the world’s countries operate under such a model. Most importantly, the reform will advance
Kazakhstan’s ongoing strategy for fundamental modernization, reflecting the
formula A Strong President – An Influential Parliament – An Accountable
Government, and aligning with transformations occurring in various fields,
including AI. He also noted that the introduction of the e-Parlament system is
imminent.
«I would also like to emphasize that it is entirely
incorrect to reduce the parliamentary reform to the dissolution of the Senate.
Our clear goal is to carry out a profound transformation of the entire
representative branch of power. In this way, the legislative body will be able
to fully fulfill its role as an institution that reflects the interests
and will of the citizens,» Tokayev
noted.
An important factor in these changes is the competence
of the future parliamentary body, which will consist of professionals. The
formation of Parliament based on party lists is directly related to this
objective. According to the President, a multi-party system within a unicameral
Parliament will encourage the development of political dialogue on a
professional basis.
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