Kazakh President Kasym-Jomart Tokayev signed the new Constitution, it will come into force from 1 July 2026.
Tokayev presented the parameters of the constitutional reform on 20 January 2026. The very next day, his decree created a constitutional commission of 130 members – deputies, officials and lawyers. After six meetings, the commission said the country needed a new constitution, and on 12 February the authorities presented a draft document. On 15 March, Kazakhstan held a referendum on the new draft constitution.
On 17 March, the Central Election Commission announced the official results of the vote, according to which 87.15% of those who voted supported the new draft constitution. Prior to the referendum, the authorities launched a campaign of harassment against citizens and journalists who criticised the draft document or conducted a poll.
Kazakhstan’s president also signed a decree on measures to implement the constitution, providing for the drafting of new laws. Tokayev said during the signing ceremony that the new Basic Law has “historical significance”.
The original copy of the 1995 Constitution is scheduled for archiving. The government has until 7 April to approve a plan to promote the new Constitution.
15 March will become the new Constitution Day (since 1996 it was celebrated on 30 August).
One of the main points of the new Constitution is the transformation of the parliament from a bicameral to a unicameral one and renaming it Kurultai. The Kurultai will consist of 145 members elected for five-year terms under a proportional system, i.e., party lists. Critics believe that citizens who are not members of parties will not be able to run for deputies and recall that opposition associations have been unable to obtain party registration with the Justice Ministry for years.
The basic law also gives the president the power to appoint the prosecutor general, the chairmen of the Constitutional and Supreme Courts, the National Bank, and the chairman of the National Security Committee on his own, without the participation of parliament; these appointments now require the consent of the Senate, which is cancelled under the new draft.
In addition, the new Constitution creates the institute of vice-president. A person for this position is not elected, but appointed by the president with the consent of the Kurultai. In the event of the president’s early resignation or death, the vice-president becomes acting president.
Tokayev signed the new Constitution of Kazakhstan