Kazakh president proposes creation of unicameral parliament

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Monday proposed the creation of a unicameral parliament in his country in the “foreseeable future.”

In his annual address to the nation at the parliament in the capital Astana, Tokayev shared his thoughts on parliamentary reform, which he said will have a “serious positive impact” on the course of the country’s socio-economic development.

Tokayev described the Senate, the upper house of parliament established in 1995, as having been created under “rather difficult, unstable political conditions,” but served effectively in its mission of “ensuring the stability of state building.”

The president said he had the opportunity to head the Senate for 10 years, but “despite this, I will nevertheless make a proposal today to create a unicameral parliament in our country in the foreseeable future.”

Tokayev warned that the reform concerned is “very serious issue” and requires thorough discussion in the civil sector, the expert community, and within the current parliament itself.

“I believe that the discussion, given the extraordinary nature of the reform, will take at least a year, after which a national referendum could be held in 2027, and then the necessary changes could be made to the Constitution,” he added.

He said that if they reach a common decision on the need to create a unicameral parliament, then, in his opinion, such a parliament should be elected exclusively through party lists.

Kazakhstan's parliament is comprised of two chambers, namely the Senate and Majilis, the lower house.

Current legislation was preceded by the Supreme Council, a unicameral body formed in 1993, before it was dissolved in 1995.