Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mod/press/news/details/1152182?lang=kk

The commission on constitutional reforms published a draft of the new Basic Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This document appeared as a result of a thorough analysis of proposals from citizens, political parties, public organizations and experts, open public discussions, as well as a comprehensive and thorough elaboration of new norms and rules. The constitutional reform arose on the basis of the initiative of the head of state Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to create a unicameral parliament in Kazakhstan. The president expressed this idea in his annual address to the people on September 8, 2025 in order to comprehensively modernize the country's political system and give a significant positive impetus to the socio-economic development of Kazakhstan in the era of artificial intelligence. On October 8, 2025, an order was signed on the creation of a working group on the implementation of parliamentary reform. It included well-known legal scientists, experts, representatives of political parties and public organizations. However, all active citizens joined the discussions and began to send their opinions and suggestions through the e-Otinish and eGov portals. Thus, a wide and intense discussion of the new reform lasted about six months. During this period, the Working Group comprehensively reviewed and systematized more than two thousand proposals received from citizens. At the V meeting of the National kurultai, held in January 2026, the head of state summed up the results of the work done and expressed his point of view on the upcoming changes. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also noted that within the framework of the parliamentary reform, it is initially planned to amend about 40 articles of the Basic Law. However, in the course of the work, it became clear that the scope of changes will be much larger, and they will cover many other aspects of political and public life. On January 21, 2026, the Constitutional Commission was established. It consisted of 130 people, including members of the National Constituent Assembly, prominent legal scholars, responsible employees of central state bodies, heads of mass media, maslikhat chairmen, Representatives of regional public councils, as well as representatives of the expert and scientific community. Thus, the Commission fully covered all social groups and regions of Kazakhstan. The commission is headed by the chairman of the Constitutional Court Elvira Azimova. State Councilor Yerlan Karin and Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Culture and information Aida Balayeva were appointed as his deputies. "The creation of the commission can be considered as a reflection of the transition from sector changes to a comprehensive constitutional transformation. He has a special mission ahead of him. This is to ensure that the basic principles of the constitutional system are observed in the Basic Law, on the one hand, and on the other hand, it is possible to express a worthy attitude to modern challenges," Chairman of the Constitutional Court Elvira Azimova said at the first meeting. All meetings of the commission were held in full transparency and broadcast live. His work was widely and detailed in the media. Their opinions, comments and suggestions were expressed by well-known lawyers, human rights activists, social activists, deputies, political researchers and other experts. During the work, the members of the Commission reviewed in detail all the main amendments to the Basic Law of the Republic. These amendments concern all sections and 77 articles of the Constitution, that is, they covered 84% of the total text. Thus, the members of the Commission raised the issue of developing a new Constitution of Kazakhstan. Conceptual changes of the Basic Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan are aimed at increasing the orientation of the state towards the person, reflecting the current values and principles inherent in the people of Kazakhstan, as well as increasing the effectiveness of the structure of political institutions in the Republic. In the new preamble, human rights and freedoms were declared for the first time as the main priority of the state. Unity and cooperation, interethnic and interreligious harmony are established as the basis of Kazakhstan's statehood. Sovereignty and independence, unity, territorial integrity were classified as immutable values. For the first time, such principles as Justice, Law and order, careful attitude to nature were enshrined at the level of the Constitution. At the same time, it is established that the only source of state power and the owner of sovereignty is the people of Kazakhstan. Education and science, culture and innovation were identified as the main ideas of the new text of our Constitution. This is a fundamentally important turning point, showing that the future of the state is determined not by Mineral Resources and natural resources, but by human capital and the achievements of citizens. Another important semantic area is digitalization. In this regard, the new text of the Constitution for the first time approved the norm on the protection of citizens ' rights in the digital environment. The main feature of the new text of the Constitution is its orientation towards human rights. Thus, human rights and freedoms are enshrined not only in the new preamble, but are defined as a special priority and semantic core of the entire Constitution. There is a clear distinction between religion and the state. The secular nature of the education and upbringing system is determined. A provision is introduced that marriage is a voluntary and equal Union of a man and a woman. This decision is aimed at protecting traditional values at the highest legal level and strengthening the protection of women's rights. Among the main novellas of the draft constitution, the following can be noted: A new unicameral parliament, the Kurultai, consisting of 145 deputies and having new, expanded powers, will be created. When creating it, a proportional electoral system is used, and the term of office of Deputies is 5 years. The proportional system contributes to the development of the personnel policy of parties, increasing their institutional role and strengthening the responsibility of political forces to society. A new platform for national dialogue will be created – the people's Council of Kazakhstan, which will continue the strategic functions of the assembly of people of Kazakhstan and the National kurultai. It will be the highest advisory body representing the interests of the people of Kazakhstan, having the right to legislative initiative. Creation of the Institute of Vice President. On behalf of the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan, he interacts with socio-political, scientific, cultural and educational organizations of Kazakhstan and abroad. For the first time, a special article dedicated to advocacy and advocacy is enshrined in the Constitution. Protection of intellectual property rights is ensured. Laws that impose new duties on citizens or worsen their situation, prohibit the possibility of being held accountable again for the same offense, and guarantee the rights of citizens, including the principles of the presumption of innocence, will be strengthened. The "Miranda rule" is approved. In addition, the draft of the new Constitution of Kazakhstan comprehensively solves the problem of outdated terminological apparatus. The text of the new Basic Law of the country emphasizes the clear priority of Kazakhstan in the development of the established state structure, international authority, human capital, Education, Science and innovation, which confidently looks to the future. In addition, respect is paid to the formation of the state structure and the current Constitution, which played an important role in the historical development of Kazakhstan. In general, the first draft of the new version of the Constitution proposes to approve the Preamble, Section 11 and Article 95. The acceptance of proposals continues through the e-Otinish and eGov portals. A specific decision on the new constitution will be made by the citizens of our country at a national referendum. The work of the Constitutional Commission continues. Constitutional Reform Commission (Constitutional Commission) **** January 30, 2026 Project CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN We, the United People of Kazakhstan, strengthening statehood in the indigenous Kazakh land, Preserving the continuity of the thousand-year history of the Great Steppe, clarifying the unitary nature of the state, the impossibility of encroaching on the integrity of its borders and territory, Adhering to the idea of a just Kazakhstan and the principle of Law and order, stating that the rights and freedoms of citizens are strictly observed, based on the principles of unity and solidarity, interethnic and interfaith peace, according to the values of culture and education, science and innovation, recognizing the need to take care of nature, striving for peace and friendship with all the country, feeling a high responsibility to future generations, We adopt the Basic Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan – this Constitution. Section I Fundamentals of constitutional construction Article 1 The Republic of Kazakhstan is a democratic, secular, legal and social state. The highest value of the state is man and his life, rights and freedoms. Article 2 1.The Republic of Kazakhstan is a unitary state. The model of government is the presidential republic. 2.The Sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan covers its entire territory. The state ensures the integrity, indivisibility of its territory, its inviolability. 3.the administrative-territorial structure of the Republic of Kazakhstan is determined by the constitutional law. 4.the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the city of Astana. The status of the capital is determined by law. 5.the names of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Kazakhstan have the same meaning. 6.the sovereignty, independence, unitary, territorial integrity and management model of the Republic of Kazakhstan do not change.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/kostanai-kalasy-akimat/press/news/details/1152143?lang=kk

⚡️ The Center for Countering Disinformation has registered the spread of false information that the ban on the sale of land to foreigners has been lifted in the text of the new draft Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Center states that the information is untrue and constitutes a distortion of the facts. According to Article 6, Paragraph 3 of the current Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the wording on “land and its subsoil, water sources, flora and fauna, and other natural resources” is identical to the wording in the new draft Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan and has not undergone any changes. We would like to add that the Constitutional Reform Commission confirmed that the aforementioned norms should remain unchanged. In addition, if previously the provisions on the integrity and unitary nature of the state were contained in the final and transitional provisions, in the new draft Constitution they are enshrined in the initial chapters as the foundations of the constitutional structure. This significantly strengthens the legal guarantees provided for the inviolability of the territorial integrity and basic principles of the state. Article 2 of the draft new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated January 30, 2026: Article 2. The sovereignty of the Republic of Kazakhstan extends to its entire territory. The state ensures the integrity, indivisibility, and inviolability of its territory. Article 6. The sovereignty, independence, unitary nature, territorial integrity and governance model of the Republic of Kazakhstan shall remain unchanged. Thus, statements about the lifting of the ban on the sale of land to foreigners have no legal basis and are misleading to citizens. ‼️ The Center for Countering Fake Information reminds us that deliberate distortion of facts and the dissemination of manipulative information may lead to legal consequences and calls on citizens and representatives of the media community to verify information from official sources, as well as to prevent the spread of destructive and manipulative interpretations.

The Constitutional Reform Commission has presented to the public the draft of the updated Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This document is the result of a systematic analysis of proposals received from citizens, political parties, public organizations and experts, open public discussions and comprehensive elaboration of legal norms. The proposed constitutional reform stems from the initiative of Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to radically modernize the country's political system. The President raised the idea of moving to a unicameral Parliament in his Address to the People of Kazakhstan on September 8, 2025, highlighting this step as an important decision that will give impetus to socio-economic development in the era of artificial intelligence. In order to implement this initiative, a decree was signed on October 8, 2025 on the establishment of a working group on the implementation of parliamentary reform. The working group included leading legal scholars, experts, representatives of political parties and public associations. In addition, ordinary citizens also actively participated in the discussion process. Proposals were submitted through the e-Otinish and eGov portals, and over two thousand initiatives were considered in about six months. All proposals were systematized and thoroughly analyzed. At the 5th session of the National Congress, held in January 2026, the Head of State summed up the work done and expressed his position on the upcoming constitutional changes. The President noted that initially it was planned to amend about 40 articles of the Constitution, but during the discussions the scope of the changes expanded significantly. On January 21, 2026, the Constitutional Commission was established. It included members of the National Congress, prominent lawyers, representatives of central and local government bodies, heads of the mass media, chairmen of maslikhats, representatives of regional public councils and the scientific and expert community. The commission, consisting of 130 people, covered all regions and social groups of the country. The Commission is headed by the Chairperson of the Constitutional Court, Elvira Azimova. State Counselor Yerlan Karin and Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva have been approved as her deputies. The commission's meetings were held in an open format and broadcast live. The proceedings were widely covered in the media, and lawyers, human rights defenders, public activists, and experts openly expressed their opinions. As a result, amendments were developed covering all sections of the Constitution, including amendments to 77 articles. This represents a large-scale modernization covering more than 80 percent of the total text. The concept of the new Constitution is aimed at strengthening the people-oriented nature of the state, defining the basic values inherent in society, and increasing the effectiveness of political institutions. The updated Preamble clearly states for the first time that human rights and freedoms are the main priorities of the state. Unity, solidarity, interethnic and interreligious harmony are recognized as the basis of statehood. Sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity were included among the immutable values. The principles of justice, law and order, and environmental responsibility were enshrined at the Constitutional level. In addition, it was clarified that the people of Kazakhstan are the sole source of state power and the owners of sovereignty. One of the main ideas of the new Constitution is to prioritize education, science, culture, and innovation. This shows that the future of Kazakhstan is based not on natural resources, but on human capital. Also, for the first time, the protection of citizens' rights in the digital space was enshrined at the constitutional level. The separation of state and religion was clearly established, the secular nature of the education and upbringing system was established. Marriage was defined as an equal, voluntary union between a man and a woman, and traditional family values were legally protected. The project envisages the creation of a unicameral Parliament – the Kurultai – consisting of 145 deputies. It will be formed through a proportional electoral system and will have expanded powers. In addition, a new national dialogue platform, the People's Council of Kazakhstan, will be established. The introduction of the vice-presidential institution, the adoption of a special article on the legal profession, the protection of intellectual property rights, the approval of the "Miranda Rule", and the updating of legal terminology are also among the important innovations. In general, the new draft Constitution envisages a future-oriented modernization of Kazakhstan while preserving its established statehood. The final decision on the document will be made by the country's citizens in a nationwide referendum. The acceptance of proposals is still ongoing, and the work of the Constitutional Commission has not stopped.

Tashkent, January 30, 2026 – a meeting was held between the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Republic of Uzbekistan B. Atamkulov and the Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan L. Kudratov.The parties noted the outcomes of the recent state visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev to the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as plans for the implementation of the agreements reached and the execution of instructions adopted following the visit.Special attention was paid to the schedule of events for the current year, including contacts at the highest and high levels, as well as planned meetings of joint intergovernmental and sectoral cooperation mechanisms, with an emphasis on monitoring the implementation of the agreements reached.During the meeting, the parties discussed a wide range of issues on the bilateral trade and economic agenda, including the state and prospects of the development of mutual trade between the countries, as well as investment cooperation and practical measures to stimulate mutual investments.The progress of the implementation of the Joint Program to increase bilateral trade turnover to USD 10 billion by 2030 was considered separately, including the implementation of specific projects and mechanisms to support trade and economic ties. In this context, issues related to the development of the International Center for Industrial Cooperation “Central Asia”, as well as the activities of the joint trading company “UzKazTrade” as one of the key instruments for promoting mutual trade, were discussed.The parties also exchanged views on the issues of mutual recognition of conformity assessment of products, emphasizing the importance of eliminating technical barriers and harmonizing regulatory approaches in order to further increase trade turnover.For reference: according to the Ministry of Investments, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, by the end of 2025 trade turnover reached USD 4.97 billion, which is 11% higher than in the same period of 2024. Kazakhstan’s exports to Uzbekistan amounted to USD 3.43 billion, imports – USD 1.54 billion. At the end of 2023, mutual trade turnover amounted to approximately USD 4.1 billion; in 2024 it increased to about USD 4.5 billion.Within the framework of the meeting, organizational issues related to holding the first meeting of the Council of Heads of Regions, as well as the next meeting of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Business Council, were considered.At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties confirmed their mutual commitment to further deepening the strategic partnership and alliance between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-tashkent/press/news/details/1152092?lang=kk