Meeting of the National Kurultai. Photo: Aqorda official Telegram channel.
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has proposed naming the country’s planned unicameral parliament the Kurultai. He made the proposal at a session of the National Kurultai, which currently functions as an annual consultative and advisory body.
According to Tokayev, the historical scale and significance of the kurultai are “clear and close” to the people of Kazakhstan. “In general, I believe we should preserve the name Kurultai as a symbol of a very important state institution in the political system of our country,” ORDA.kz quoted the president as saying.
The new parliament is expected to be elected for a five-year term and to have 145 seats, down from the current total of 148 (98 in the Mazhilis and 50 in the Senate). The proposed reform предусматривает отказ от президентской квоты, as well as from the quota of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan.
“There should be no exclusive appointees in the new parliament; deputies must be elected under rules that are the same for everyone,” the president emphasized.
Under the proposal, the speaker of parliament would have no more than three deputies, and the total number of parliamentary committees would be limited to eight.
Tokayev also suggested expanding lawmakers’ powers by granting parliament the authority to elect all judges of the Supreme Court upon the president’s nomination. Currently, candidates are recommended by the High Judicial Council, approved by the president, and finally elected by the Senate.
In addition, Tokayev proposed abolishing several administrative positions, including that of state secretary. Addressing State Secretary Erlan Karin, who was seated to his right during the speech, the president remarked in English, “I’m very sorry.”
At the same session, Tokayev proposed reinstating the position of vice president. Under the plan, the vice president would be appointed by the president with the consent of parliament by a majority vote and would represent the country at international and domestic events.
“The scope of the vice president’s powers will be determined by the head of state. It is envisaged that, at the president’s instruction, the vice president will represent the interests of the Republic of Kazakhstan at international forums and in negotiations with foreign delegations, represent the president’s interests in parliament, interact with domestic and foreign public, political, academic, and cultural organizations, and carry out other assignments of the president,” Tokayev said.
Kazakhstan has previously had a vice presidency under former president Nursultan Nazarbayev. The post existed from 1991 to 1996. The first and only person to hold it was Erik Asanbayev, who served from the declaration of independence on December 16, 1991, until February 22, 1996, when Nazarbayev dismissed him and the position was abolished.
