Kazakhstan’s recently held constitutional referendum is expected to fundamentally alter the country’s political processes. The bicameral parliament has been abolished in favour of a unicameral Kurultai elected entirely through party lists, while the office of Vice President was restored after a 30-year absence.
In line with the changes, political power is expected to be more concentrated while remaining formally distributed. The constitutional text itself reflects this trend: the supremacy of ratified international treaties over domestic law is curtailed, while the freedoms of speech and assembly are narrowed with new grounds for restriction, with the explicit right to strike removed.
Taken together, these changes signal a deliberate tightening of the civic and legal framework alongside a major institutional restructuring. The reintroduction of the position of Vice President is the most consequential single change in this regard as it creates a formalized succession mechanism. The new constitution will be the basis of several future political processes international businesses are required to monitor. These include the potential “resetting” of President Tokayev’s single, seven-year term, the nomination of the incoming Vice President, early parliamentary elections expected for August and the role the People’s Council will play after the abolishment of the upper house of parliament.
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