Tokayev: Transition to a unicameral Parliament does not mean merging the Mazhilis and the Senate

Tengrinews.kz — Kazakhstan’s transition to a unicameral Parliament does not imply a simple merger of the Mazhilis and the Senate, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said, citing Akorda.
A meeting of the working group on parliamentary reform was held in Astana. During his remarks, the President stressed that the new Parliament should not be formed by mechanically combining the two existing chambers.

“The transition to a unicameral Parliament in no way means a simple merger of the Mazhilis and the Senate. This issue cannot be reduced to basic arithmetic — adding up their numbers and functions. The key task is to carry out a systemic reformatting of the legislative branch of power,” Tokayev said.

The President emphasized that Kazakhstan is facing a deep reconstruction of its institutional framework.

“Taken together with the political reforms already implemented and the 2022 constitutional reform, the Parliament must become an even more authoritative institution. This is a crucial stage in implementing the fundamental principle of ‘a strong President, an influential Parliament, and an accountable government.’ This approach creates a more precise balance and an effective system of checks and balances in public administration,” Tokayev added.

Earlier, the President discussed key approaches to constitutional reform with the working group. Over several months, all seven political parties, dozens of non-governmental organizations, business representatives, legal scholars, and experts submitted their initiatives on constitutional reform.
Tokayev reiterated that the country is entering a phase of profound institutional transformation and comprehensive restructuring of the legislative branch. He also announced that he will present his concrete proposals on parliamentary reform at the upcoming session of the National Kurultai.