More constitutional changes announced in Kazakhstan

The text of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan contains a number of ambiguities and errors that must be addressed by legal experts and linguists. In other words, the Constitution is once again on the verge of amendments. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced this today, January 20, during his address at the fifth session of the National Qurultoy held in Kyzylorda.

“It has been established that there are certain errors in the text of our Constitution. At the time, terminological and stylistic inaccuracies were allowed. Within the framework of constitutional reform, we must also eliminate these gaps. Not only legal experts but also qualified specialists in the field of language will be involved in this work,” he said.

According to the head of state, the Constitution’s preamble deserves special attention and should be rewritten in a way that fully reflects national values and retains its relevance regardless of the era.

He added that the new preamble should emphasize that civilization and statehood on Kazakh land have deep historical roots.

“Through this, we must demonstrate that Kazakhstan is the heir to the great states of the Great Steppe,” the president said.

In this regard, Tokayev instructed the establishment of a constitutional commission in Kazakhstan. The commission will prepare proposed changes to the country’s basic law, including the transition to a unicameral parliament and the introduction of the vice president post, and will also be tasked with determining the date of a referendum.

Tokayev noted that following the 2022 referendum, during which citizens supported constitutional amendments, 33 articles of the Constitution were changed. He added that the upcoming changes are even more extensive and said the process could be compared to the adoption of a new constitution.

“That is why I have decided to establish a constitutional commission. Tomorrow, I will sign a special decree,” he said.

According to Tokayev, the commission will consist of more than 100 members and will be chaired by the head of the Constitutional Court. He noted that the commission will review all proposals, after which the authorities will set the timeline for a nationwide referendum.

During the National Qurultoy session, Tokayev also reiterated his proposal to rename parliament the Qurultoy, consisting of 145 deputies elected for a five-year term. He also announced the abolition of the post of state adviser.

“All changes must be enshrined in the Constitution,” Tokayev said.

Earlier, Tokayev had expressed support for introducing the post of vice president and, in September last year, proposed reforming the political system by transitioning from a bicameral to a unicameral parliament. At the time, he said discussions on the reform would take at least one year and that a referendum could be held in 2027. No specific date has been announced.

Kazakhstan’s frequently amended Constitution

The current Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan was adopted by a nationwide referendum on August 30, 1995. The first Constitution of independent Kazakhstan was adopted in 1993.

Since 1995, the Basic Law has undergone six major packages of amendments and additions:

– 1998: Changes were made to the terms of office of the president and members of parliament;
– 2007: Elements of a parliamentary-presidential system were introduced, strengthening the role of parliament;
– 2011: Constitutional grounds were established for holding early presidential elections;
– 2017: Certain presidential powers were transferred to parliament and the government;
– 2019: Amendments were introduced in connection with the renaming of the capital from Astana to Nur-Sultan;
– 2022: The most extensive reform was carried out, with one-third of the Constitution amended through a referendum, including the introduction of a single, non-renewable seven-year presidential term.

As a result of the nationwide referendum held on June 5, 2022, all provisions related to the status and privileges of the First President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, were removed from the Constitution.

The updated Constitution abolished several key provisions, including the “Elbasy” (Leader of the Nation) status, which had granted Nazarbayev special immunity and privileges; the exemption allowing the First President to be elected an unlimited number of times; the designation of Nazarbayev as the founder of independent Kazakhstan; and lifelong immunity and special powers for him and his family, including permanent chairmanship of the Security Council and the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan.

As a result of these changes, the separate constitutional law “On the First President – Elbasy” also lost legal force.

Following the constitutional amendments, early presidential elections were held on November 20, 2022. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who has led the country since 2019, won the election with 81.31 percent of the vote, far ahead of other candidates.

According to the Central Election Commission, 81.31 percent of voters, or 6,456,392 people, voted for Tokayev. Other candidates received significantly fewer votes, while 5.8 percent of participants, or 460,484 voters, cast ballots against all candidates.

Tokayev has repeatedly emphasized that he will not hold the presidency for more than seven years and has reaffirmed his commitment to constitutional reforms. Most recently, in a 2025 interview with Al Jazeera, he addressed the issue again.

“I have already announced that I will step down in 2029. This is both the will of my people and my personal decision. A president is not a messenger of God. He is a state leader elected by his people. In our case, the term is only seven years,” he said.

Following the expected constitutional changes in 2026, the possibility of resetting the presidential term is legally restricted, although the issue remains a subject of discussion.

Under Article 42 of the Constitution, the president of Kazakhstan may be elected only once for a seven-year term, with re-election strictly prohibited. According to amendments to Article 91, the seven-year term and the one-term limit are designated as immutable norms that cannot be changed under any circumstances, including through future constitutional reforms or referendums.

Under current legislation, no “reset” of presidential terms is expected in 2026. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s current presidential term expires in 2029, and under the existing Constitution, he is not eligible for re-election. Even if constitutional amendments are adopted in 2026, legal guarantees ensure that restrictions on presidential terms remain inviolable.