The Kazakh Parliament has adopted a law which takes away the First President’s status as a leader of the nation. The document was approved by the Parliament members in two readings at a joint meeting of the houses in Astana. It was presented by Mazhilis member Erlan Sairov. He noted that last year the amendments to the Constitution were adopted in the country, backed by 77 percent of voters at the nationwide referendum. This week, the Constitutional Court has ruled that the law on the status of the First President of Kazakhstan – Elbasy doesn’t align with the current Constitution.
“Constitutional reform is a major step taken in the 30 years of independence. It will allow strengthening institutions of the branch of government and building democracy in society. Paragraph four of Article 46 of the Constitution, which stipulated that the status and powers of the First President of Kazakhstan are determined by the Constitution and the constitutional law, has been excluded, according to the amendments to the country's Basic Law,” said Erlan Sairov, Member of the Mazhilis, the Lower House of the Kazakh Parliament.
“The constitutional law on the First President is proposed to be repealed in order to implement the results of the nationwide referendum which was held on June 5, 2022, and ensure the consistency of legislative acts with the Basic Law. At the same time, general guarantees established by Article 46 of the Constitution and chapter VI of the constitutional law ‘On the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan’ with regard to all former presidents of the country will be applied to the First President,” added Vladimir Volkov, Member of the Senate, the Upper House of the Kazakh Parliament.
The law which takes away the First President’s status as a leader of the nation is considered adopted and sent to the Head of State for his signature.
