The outgoing week has become one of the most significant in the modern political and legal history of Kazakhstan. Several interconnected events have simultaneously marked the completion of a major phase of constitutional reform and the beginning of the formation of a new model of state governance.

On July 1, 2026, the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan, adopted in a national referendum on March 15, came into force. On the same day, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree scheduling the first elections of deputies to the Kurultai for August 23, 2026. Concurrently, the bicameral Parliament concluded its work, having served as the country's supreme legislative body for three decades.

In the coming months, the country is set to form a new supreme representative body, ensure the launch of a renewed architecture of state power, and complete the institutional transition to a new model of governance.

On the eve of the Constitution's entry into force, President Tokayev addressed a joint session of both houses of Parliament – a session that would prove to be the last in the history of the bicameral legislature.

The Head of State underscored the exceptional significance of the moment.

"Today's meeting can, without exaggeration, be called an event of historic magnitude. We are not merely concluding another parliamentary session – we are drawing a line under an entire era in the development of Independent Kazakhstan and opening a fundamentally new chapter in the annals of our statehood," the President emphasized.

According to the Head of State, the enactment of the new Constitution does not signify yet another administrative reform, but rather the beginning of a fundamentally new stage in the country's development.

"As is well known, tomorrow will mark the launch of a deep modernization of the entire system of state governance. This is not just another administrative reform. In essence, this is the inauguration of a new historical era – the commencement of transformations unprecedented in their significance and consequences," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The President placed particular emphasis on the role of Parliament in the history of independent Kazakhstan.

Over three decades, the legislature has adopted approximately 3,500 laws, with every tenth law having been initiated by the deputies themselves.

The President singled out the work of the eighth convocation as particularly productive.

Over the past three years alone, deputies have passed over 300 crucial laws, including constitutional acts, codes, and legislative provisions that facilitated the implementation of a sweeping political reform.

The Head of State expressed his gratitude to deputies of all convocations for their contribution to the development of the national legislative system.

One of the most extensive tasks confronting the parliamentary corps following the adoption of the Constitution was the creation of a new regulatory framework.

The President reported that within an exceptionally short timeframe, Parliament adopted nine packages of laws, including six constitutional acts, fully aligning existing legislation with the amended version of the Fundamental Law.

According to the Head of State, it was precisely this work that enabled the realization of the new constitutional formula for state governance.

A central element of the reform has been the establishment of a new supreme representative body – the Kurultai.

Under the Constitution, the Kurultai now becomes the country's sole legislative authority.

The President noted that the new institution must serve not only as a forum for lawmaking but also as a modern center for public dialogue.

"The Kurultai is tasked with eliminating all bureaucratic obstacles, enhancing the speed and quality of legislative work, and organizing the effective engagement of qualified experts and consultants," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined.

Another important component of the reforms has been the creation of a new body – the Qazaqstan Khalyq Kenesi (People's Council of Kazakhstan).

This new advisory body will bring together representatives of local maslikhats, public councils, the expert community, and civil society institutions.

Addressing the deputies, the President stressed that the conclusion of Parliament's work does not signal the end of reforms.

On the contrary, it is now that the most critical phase begins – the practical implementation of the new constitutional provisions.

Political analysts note that the 2026 constitutional reform represents the largest institutional transformation since the adoption of the Constitution of independent Kazakhstan.

For the first time, the Fundamental Law was adopted directly by the citizens of the country through a national referendum, in which it was supported by 87.15 percent of participants.

As President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized in his address on the occasion of the new Constitution's entry into force, a new era is beginning in the history of sovereign Kazakhstan.

"This day marks a radical restructuring of the political system, a transformation of the key institutions of the state and civil society. In the national referendum of March 15, the people of Kazakhstan made a historic choice that will define the horizons of the state's development for decades to come. This historic decision will forever remain in the country's annals as a vivid example of genuine patriotism and the high civic responsibility of millions of our compatriots. It is deeply symbolic that Constitution Day is now inextricably linked with the beginning of the Nauryznamy decade. This landmark date harmoniously unites the age-old traditions of spring renewal with the fundamental principles of the New Fundamental Law – the aspiration for civic solidarity, advanced knowledge, and conscientious labor for the benefit of the Motherland," Kassym-Jomart Tokayev underscored.

The next stage in the implementation of the constitutional reform will be the first elections of deputies to the Kurultai. It is on the basis of the results of this campaign that the new system of legislative power in Kazakhstan will be definitively established.

Political parties have already begun preparing for the election campaign, updating their platforms, holding congresses, and compiling candidate lists.

Thus, the transition to the new model of state governance is entering its practical phase, and the coming months will be decisive in shaping the institutions provided for by the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Linara SAKTAGANOVA
Astana