I talk about Kazakhstan's system of government from the presidential system of government, the legislative government, and the current state of democracy.

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Post author By Charlie April 29, 2021
The Government System of Kazakhstan
theweeklyrambler.com/the-government-system-of-kazakhstan/
Kazakhstan is a large country largely located in Central Asia, although is considered
transcontinental and also partly in Europe, the country is bordered with Russia, China,
Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. Kazakhstan also has a coast along the
landlocked Caspian Sea, which gives direct access to Azerbaijan and Iran. The country’s
capital city is Nur-Sultan which is located in the north-east of the country, the city was
formerly called Astana but was changed to Nur-Sultan in 2019 in honour of Kazakhstan’s
first President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who is as of today Chairman of the country’s
Security Council.
The area today known as Kazakhstan has been inhabited since at least the Paleolithic
era, with pastoralism developing during the Neolithic period. The area included a key
trading route during the time called the Steppe Route, precursor of the famous Silk Road.
It is also believed that humans first domesticated the horse in the region. The region was
made up of a number of nomadic groups in the earliest of times such as Indo-Iranian
cultures and the Scythians, as well as nomadic Turkic tribes. The Persian Achaemenid
Empire was also located in the South of the territory.
Around the early 11 Century, the Cuman, a Turkic nomadic people, entered the area and
later joined with the Kipchak, also Turkic, to create the vast Cuman-Kipchak
Confederation, but true political consolidation did not begin until the Mongols arrived in
the early 13 Century, bringing the area under the rule of the Mongol Empire, who would
establish administrative districts for the first time. As the Mongol Empire dissolved into
smaller factions, the Kazakh Khanate would eventually emerge and rule the area.
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During this time nomadic lifestyle and livestock-based economy were continuing to be
dominant and during the 15 Century a Kazakh identity would emerge from among the
Turkic tribes, leading up to the Kazakh War of Independence where the Kazakh Khanate
gained sovereignty from the Turko-Mongol Shaybanid dynasty. By the mid-16 Century, a
Kazakh language, culture, and economy would appear.
By the mid-17 Century tribal rivalries would begin weakening the Kazakh Khanate, with
the population dividing into three distinct tribal groupings, known as Great, Middle,
and Little hordes, diminishing importance of trade routes in the area also played a factor.
The Khiva Khanate would exploit this by annexing the large Mangyshlak Peninsula in the
West. The tribes and Kazakh Khanate also fought against Mongol tribes in the 17 and
early 18 centuries, specifically a grouping known as the Oirats, with the main threat
being from the Dzungar tribe, and they also suffered significant raids from the Kalmyk,
although these were repelled, they still greatly weakened the Kazakh Khanate, leading to
further rival exploitation, such as the Kokand Khanate conquering the southeast of the
region, and the Emirate of Bukhara taking rule of Shymkent.
The Kazakhs would also perform raids into Russian territory, leading to the Russians
constructing dozens of forts and redoubts to defend against such raids. During the
19 Century, in a period known as the Great Game, basically rivalry between large
Empires of the time, the Russian Empire begun expanding its influence into Central Asia,
which would lead to the Tsars of Russia having effective control of Kazakhstan, and they
would begin Russification of the Kazakhs. Resentment of this from the Kazakh people
would grow into resistance by the 1860s in an attempt to protect their culture and way of
life.
Competition over land and water would begin between Kazakhs and settlers, leading to
revolts, with one of the most serious being the 1916 Central Asian Revolt or Basmachi
Movement, massacres were committed by both sides, and both sides would also attempt
to resist Communist government after the fall of the Russian Empire and rise of the Soviet
Union.
The Kazakhs saw a brief period of autonomy following the collapse of the Russian Empire
in 1917 and a short-lived Kazakh state called the Alash Autonomy was established, but in
1920 the area would be brought under the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
as the Kirghiz Autonomous Socialist Soviet Republic (Kirghiz ASSR) which was later
renamed to the Kazakh ASSR.
Soviet forced elitist repression and forced collectivization led to famine and high fatalities
in the Kazakh ASSR and as a result unrest. The Kazakh ASSR would be detached from
the Russian SFSR in 1936 and become the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic (Kazakh
SSR) making it a full union republic of the USSR. During the 1930s and 1940s the
Kazakh SSR became a destination for exiled and convicted prisoners, mass
resettlements, and deportations directed by the Central USSR authorities.
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Even through the USSR industrialization during World War II, the Kazakh SSR remained
and was kept largely a major agriculturally-based economy. The Kazakh SSR became the
place where the Soviets tested their first nuclear atomic bomb in 1949, with hundreds
more conducted up until 1989, causing ecological and biological consequences. By 1959
the Kazakhs became a minority in their own lands with ethnic Russians becoming the
majority, due to privation, war, and resettlement.
More unrest would begin in 1986 following replacement of Kazakhs First Secretary of the
Communist Party with a politician from the Russian SFSR, which was violently
suppressed by government troops. But discontent continued to grow as the Soviet Union
came close to collapse, especially spurred by Gorbachev’s glasnost policy.
Kazakhstan would declare its sovereignty in October 1990 and become the last Soviet
republic to leave the Soviet Union in December 1991, gaining full independence. Since
then, the country has been ruled in an authoritarian manner, with it being accused of
human rights abuses against political opponents and dissent. Kazakhstan also maintains
close ties and cooperation with Russia and other post-Soviet Republics such as via the
Eurasian Economic Union and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.
Now a days the Kazakhs are the largest ethnic group in the country, followed by
Russians, Uzbeks and others. There is a co-official language which is Kazakh (the official
state-language) and Russian. Cyrillic and Latin are the official scripts with an aim for the
Latin script to replace Cyrillic by 2025. The largest religion is Islam and there are also a
significant number who follow Eastern Orthodoxy Christianity. The country’s currency is
the Tenge. The country’s population is over 18,961,350.
Government Type

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Emblem of Kazakhstan.
The country is operated as a Presidential Republic, although there is a Prime Minister as
Head of Government, the President as Head of State is not ceremonial and maintains
vast powers over the state and government. The legislative government is a bicameral
one made up of a Mazhilis as the lower chamber and a Senate as the upper chamber.
Elections in Kazakhstan have not been considered free or fair by Western standards of
Democracy and issues highlighted have included things such as censorship, harassment,
ballot tampering and other corrupt electoral practices. Multiple parties do exist and are
relegated to being represented in the lower chamber of Parliament, with the Upper
Chamber being non-partisan. The same party has ruled the country since 1999.
The Executive Government

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Ak Orda Presidential Palace. Photo by Nikolay Olkhovoy from Panoramio. CC BY 3.0.
Source.
The President of the Republic is the Head of State. The President determines the main
directions of domestic and foreign policy of the State and represents the country internally
and externally. It is the job of the President to guarantee freedoms and rights and the
Constitution as a whole. The President sees to concerted functioning of all branches of
state power and responsibility of institutions.
Presidential Duties
To give annual address to the people on state of the country and main directions of the
state’s domestic and foreign policies.
Appoint the regular and extraordinary elections to the country’s Parliament. The President
must convene the first session of the Parliament following elections and accept the oaths
of deputies. The President calls the extraordinary sessions of Parliament on matters of
great importance, at least one-third of deputies may also do this. Promulgates or returns
laws passed by the Parliament within one months, laws returned are to be reconsidered if
there is a disagreement made by the President.
The President chooses the Prime Minister from the lower chamber of Parliament following
its elections and after consulting with factions of political parties, the President will appoint
the chosen Prime Minister if given consent by the lower chamber to do so.
The President may remove the Prime Minister from office under certain circumstances,
such as if there is a loss of confidence in the lower chamber.

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The President defines the structure of the Government as requested by the Prime
Minister. Also appoints members of Government as proposed by the Prime Minister after
consulting with the lower chamber of Parliament.
The President independently appoints the ministers of foreign affairs and defense, and
internal affairs.
The President may dismiss members of the Government.
If necessary, the President can preside over crucial meetings of Government.
The President can annul or suspend entirely or in parts acts of akims of oblasts, cities of
national significance, and the capital.
The President appoints, along with consent from the Senate (upper chamber of
Parliament), the Chairperson of the National Bank; the Procurator-General; and the
Chairperson of Committee of National Security of the Republic of Kazakhstan. President
also releases these from office.
The President can form, abolish, and reorganize state bodies directly subordinated
and accountable to the President, and appoint or release their heads from office.
The President appoints and recalls heads of diplomatic representative offices of the
Republic. The President conducts negotiations and signs international treaties, signs
ratification instruments, receives letters of credentials and recall from diplomatic and other
representatives of foreign states accredited to him.
The President appoints the Chairperson and two members of the Central Election
Committee, and the Chairperson and two members of the Accounts Committee for control
over execution of the republican budget for a 5-year term.
The President adopts resolutions for conduction of national referendums.
It is the duty of the President to protect rights and freedoms of the people, ensure national
security, sovereignty and integrity of state, and as such has power to send a request to
the Constitutional Council to consider if an enacted law or other legal act conforms with
the constitution.
The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the country’s armed forces, appoints and
replaces the highest command of the Armed Forces. Awards state decorations,
confers honourary, highest military, and other ranks, ranked positions, diplomatic ranks,
and qualification degrees.
The President resolves issues of citizenship and political asylum.
The President exercises the power to pardon citizens.

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Under extraordinary circumstances such as major emergencies, threats, and
endangerment of national security of citizens and so on, the President will have official
consultation with the Prime Minister and Chairpersons of Parliamentary chambers and
take measures, caused by State of Emergency on entire territory or certain areas, and
give immediate notice to the Parliament of use of the country’s Armed Forces.
If there is aggression against the state or an immediate external threat to the country’s
security, then the President shall impose martial law on entire country or certain areas,
declare partial or total mobilization and give immediate notice to Parliament.
The President forms the State Security Service subordinate to him.
Appoints and releases from office the State Secretary of Kazakhstan, define the positions
powers and status.
The President forms the Security Council, the Higher Judicial Council, as well as other
consultative and advisory bodies.
The President on basis of constitution and the laws, issues decrees and resolutions which
are binding to the entire territory. Such can be on the initiative of the Government. All acts
signed by the President are also signed by the Prime Minister and both Chairpersons of
the Parliamentary chambers who bear juridical responsibility for legality of the acts.
Presidential Removal
The President can be removed from office due to continued incapacity to perform duties
due to illness. Under this case the Parliament forms a commission that consists of equal
numbers of deputies from each Chamber and specialists of respective areas of medicine,
they are observed by the Constitutional Council while they make a decision, the decision
is presented to a joint-sitting of the Parliament and adoption requires at least a three-
fourths majority.
The President outside of incapacity, may only be removed from office for high treason. An
investigation into the President on this can only be adopted by the Parliament lower
chamber via a majority, on initiative of at least one-third of total members. The
investigation if adopted is then conducted by the Senate and after its conclusion a
majority of Senators are needed to transfer the conclusion to a joint-sitting of the
Parliament where adoption of it requires a three-fourths majority, and that it had been
concluded as valid by the Supreme Court and that the Constitutional Council concludes
correct procedure was followed.
If a decision on High Treason is not made within 2-months then it shall be assumed it
were rejected. If the President is not convicted ultimately after investigation by vote of a
joint-sitting of Parliament or if the 2-months pass without a decision, then the deputies
who initiated the accusation in the first place are stripped of their powers.
If the President dies in office or is removed from office, the Chairperson of the Senate
takes over as President and finishes the remainder of the term, if they cannot it shall be
the Chairperson of the Majilis (lower chamber), and if they cannot it shall be the Prime

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Minister. Those individuals must vacate their original office before taking over the position
of President. Presidents who have taken over in this manner are unable to initiate
amendments or additions to the country’s constitution.
Prime Minister and Government
The Prime Minister is the Head of Government appointed by the President and confirmed
by majority of the Majilis (lower chamber) following elections. The Government
implements the executive power, heads system of executive bodies, and supervises their
activities. The Government is accountable to the President and in accountable to
the Majilis in areas stipulated by the Constitution.
The Government is formed by the President on advice of the Prime Minister. Suggestions
on structure and composition of Government are submitted to the President by the Prime
Ministers within 10-days of their appointment.
The Prime Minister organizes and supervises work of the Government, and personally
answers for its work. They sign the resolutions of Government. The Prime Minister also
reports the main directions of Government activities and all its important decisions to the
President.
The Government has numerous jobs that include…
Developing main directions of socio-economic policy, defense capability, security,
guarantee of public order and organize their realization. And with agreement of the
President approves state programs and ensures their implementation. Presents the
republican budget to the Parliament, report on its performance, and ensure
implementation of the Budget. Introduces draft laws to the Majilis and ensures
enforcement of laws that have been passed by Parliament and signed into
law. Organises management of state property. Develops measures for conduct of foreign
policy.
Manages the activities of the ministries, state committees, and other central and local
executive bodies. Has the power to annul or suspend completely or partially the effect of
acts of these ministries, state committees, and executive bodies.
Members of the Government are independent on decision-making within their
competence and bear responsbility before the Prime Minister for activity of bodies
subordinate to them.
The Legislative Government

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Meeting place of the country’s Parliament. Photo by Мазур Володя from Wikimedia
Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
The parliament of Kazakhstan is a bicameral one, made up of the lower chamber called
the Majilis and the upper chamber called the Senate. The main job of the Parliament is to
have legislation introduced, debate it, possibly amend it, and either pass or reject such
legislation. The Majilis provides oversight over the Prime Minister and their Government.
Legislative initiative belongs to the President, Government, and Deputies of the
Parliament, and legislation always first originates in the Majilis (lower chamber).
Legislation must pass both chambers before it goes to the President to be signed into
law. If legislation passed by the Majilis is rejected in the Senate then for it to pass
the Majilis again it requires a two-thirds majority, if the Senate rejects it again then that
same legislation cannot be reintroduced in the same session.
If the Senate amends or adds additions to a draft law passed by the Majlis then it is
returned to the Majilis who votes on it again, if they pass it the bill is considered fully
passed, if not then both Chambers will attempt to resolve disagreements via conciliatory
procedures.
Draft laws envisioning reduction of state revenues or increase in state expenditures may
only be submitted when supplied with positive resolution of the Government, unless the
draft law such as this was introduced by the President then it does not require positive
resolution from the Government.

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The Prime Minister may raise issue of confidence in their Government over a rejected
Government bill, if such a call for no-confidence does not receive a majority vote in either
Chamber then the draft law in question is considered adopted without a vote. This right
cannot be used more than twice per year.
The President has the right to determine priority for the consideration of draft laws.
Legislators/members can lose their seat in either chamber for reasons that include
establishing permanent residency outside of the country, entering in force of a conviction,
and loss of citizenship. Further legislators of the Majilis may lose their mandate for
leaving their party or being terminated from their party.
Legislation passed by both chambers can be returned for reconsideration by the
President, if both chambers pass the law again via at least two-thirds majority without any
changes then the President must promulgate it within one-month.
The President may after consulting with the Chamber Chairpersons, and Prime Minister,
dissolve the Parliament or the Majilis of the Parliament. The Parliament or Majilis cannot
be dissolved during state of emergency or martial law, or during the last six-months of a
President’s term, or before a year has passed since the previous dissolution.
Majilis – Lower Chamber
The Majilis, lower chamber of Parliament, has a fixed 107 members who are elected by
the people. Its composition following elections determines the Prime Minister and
therefore who shall be forming a Government. This chamber also oversees such
Government on its actions and activities and may withdraw confidence from the
Government, which may lead to a new Government or fresh elections.
The lower chamber can also cause an investigation into the President for possible high
treason or pursue removal due to incapacity to perform duties.
Matters and issues usually begin in the lower chamber and then move on to the upper
chamber. Such includes confirming the republican budget and making changes and
additions to it; establish and cancel state taxes and tax collections; establishing
procedure to resolve issues of administrative-territorial division of Kazakhstan; establish
state awards, honourary, military and other titles, ranked positions, diplomatic ranks, and
define state symbols; decide issues of state loans and rendering of economic and other
assistance; decide issues of amnesty to citizens; ratify and denounce international
treaties, discuss reports on execution of republican budget.
The Majilis also has exclusive authority/jobs over areas that include…
Accepting for consideration of drafts of constitutional laws and laws brought in Parliament
and consideration of these drafts.
Gives majority consent to the Prime Minister appointed by the President.
Announces the regular elections for President.

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Introduce initiative on no-confidence in Government supported by at least one-five of total
number of deputies and backed by at least an absolute majority in a vote.
Senate – Upper Chamber
The Senate has 49 members, some who are elected and some who are appointed, each
oblast, major city, and the country’s capital have two representatives on the Senate. All
members are non-partisan.
The Senate conducts any investigations into the President possibly committing high
treason if the lower chamber voted for such.
The Senate has some exclusive jobs allocated to it, these include…
Electing and discharging from office, Chairperson of the Supreme Court and its judges on
proposal of the President of the Republic.
Elects and dismisses the Commissioner for Human Rights pursuant to proposal of the
President.
Approve appointment of Chairman of the National Bank, Procurator-General, and
Chairperson of the Committee of National Security by the President.
Can deprive Procurator-General, Chairperson, and judges of Supreme Court of
their inviolability.
Performs functions of Parliament on accepting constitutional laws and laws in time
absence of the lower house caused by prescheduled termination of powers.
Joint-Sitting
A joint-sitting of parliament is when both chambers join together for a session. This can
be for major events or extraordinary matters of great importance.
The joint-sitting can introduce changes and additions to the constitution on proposal of
the President.
Approves reports of the Government, and the Accounts Committee on the control over
execution of the republican budget, non-approval on such a matter denotes the
expression of the Parliament as a vote of no-confidence in the Government.
Decides on issues of war and peace.
Adopts decisions concerning usage of Armed Forces to fulfil international obligations that
support peace and security at the proposal of the President.
The joint-sitting hears the annual messages from the Constitutional Council on the state
of the constitutional legality of the Republic.
Can form joint-commissions of both Chambers, elect and release their Chairpersons, and
hear reports on activities of the commissions.

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Separate Jobs of Both Chambers
The below jobs are conducted independently by both Chambers sitting seperately.
Both chambers appoint two members of the Constitutional Council; two members to the
Central Election Commission who serve 5-year terms; and three members of the
Accounts Committee for control over execution of the republican budget.
Both chambers elect half each of the joint-commissions of the Chambers.
Both chambers may hold Parliamentary hearings on issues of their jurisdiction.
Either chamber has the right to hear reports of the members of Government concerning
their activities at initiative of no less than one-third of members. Following these hearings,
a majority of no less than two-thirds have right to accept request by the President on
dismissal of a member of Government in case of failure to comply with laws.
Both Chambers coordinate their respective working bodies.
Both Chamber adopt their own procedural orders of their activities and other decisions on
issues connected with organisation and internal routine.
Both Chambers elect a Chairperson to preside over them, represent them in an impartial
manner, and who makes sure there is order and rules are abided, they convene sessions,
nominate candidates to Deputy Chairpersons of the Chambers, general supervision,
proposing candidacies for Constitutional Council, Central Election Commission, and
Accounts Committee. The Chairperson of the lower Chamber are selected and elected by
majority of the deputies, while the candidacy of the Senate Chairperson is chosen by the
President and confirmed by majority vote of the deputies in the Senate.
Other
As well as the usual 7-members of the Constitutional Council, which include two
members and the Chairperson appointed by the President, two members appointed by
the Majilis, and two members appointed by the Senate, there may be further members as
Ex-Presidents have right to become life-long ex-officio members of this council.
Chairperson and Judges of the Supreme Court are elected by the Senate on proposal of
the President based on recommendations from the Highest Judicial Council. This same
procedure is also for Chairperson and judges of local and other courts. The Highest
Judicial Council includes a Chairperson and two members all appointed by the
President.
The Electoral System

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Image by Министерство иностранных дел Республики Казахстан from Wikimedia
Commons. CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.
Presidential elections happen every 5-years and uses a two-round absolute majority
system where to win in the 1 round a candidate requires an absolute majority of the
vote, otherwise a 2 round takes place between the top two candidates which is won by
simple majority.
Candidates must be citizens of the Republic by birth, who are at least 40-years-old, have
perfect command of the state language, has lived in the country for at least 15-years, and
has a higher education. One person may not serve more than two terms in a row as
President (the 1 President was excluded from this rule, who was President from 1990
until 2019, but is meant to apply to all further Presidents).
Parliamentary elections for the lower chamber (Majilis) happen every 5-years. 97
members are elected from multi-seat constituencies via party-list proportional
representation using the largest remainder method while the remaining 9-members are
elected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan to represent ethnic minorities.
Candidates must be citizens of Kazakhstan, permanent resident for at least 10-years, and
be at least 25-years-old.
The Assembly of People of Kazakhstan is a body of 384 delegates of Regional
Assemblies. It is tasked with representing the country’s ethnic groups.
Elections and appointments for the Senate (upper chamber) happen every 3-years with
half of members being elected/appointed to 6-year terms. 34 members are elected via
local representative bodies of oblasts, major cities, and the capital city (two each). The
remaining 15 members are appointed by the President based on representation of
national-culture and other significant interests of society.
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Candidates must be citizens of Kazakhstan, permanent resident for at least 10-years in
the country, and at least 3-years within the respective oblast, major city, or capital; be at
least 30-years-old, have a higher education, and length of service of not less than 5-
years.
Sources
The source for this post comes from Kazakhstan’s 1995 constitution with amendments
through to 2017 and so it is currently as up to date as possible but there may yet be some
possible changes in a yet to be implemented 2019 amendment of which I have been
unable to find any further details on currently (constituteproject.org). Keep in mind I may
have possibly made some mistake or missed some things and the constitution can be
amended/changed and so eventually this post may become outdated so cross-research
is encouraged for those using this seriously.
Amendments are introduced via referendum initiated by the President, recommended by
the Parliament, or the Government. The President may submit draft amendments to the
Parliament or directly to referendum. Passage of amendments by Parliament requires a
four-fifths majority by both Chambers and signature of the President. Passage by
referendum requires an absolute majority by more than one-half of the voters in at least
two-thirds of the oblasts, major cities, and the capital, and signature of the President.
Next up will be the government system of Kenya.
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