President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, speaking at a scientific and practical conference dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of Kazakhstan, summed up the constitutional reforms of recent years. The key achievements of the 2022 reform were the introduction of the principle of a "Strong President – Influential Parliament – Accountable Government", the establishment of a single seven-year term for the head of state, and an unprecedented ban on nepotism in power.
The scientific and practical conference "Constitution and Statehood: A Dialogue of Law and the Future" served as a platform for analysing the key stages of Kazakhstan's political development over three decades of independence. In his speech, President Tokayev focused on the constitutional reforms that have shaped the foundation of the country's modern political system.
The central achievement of the 2022 constitutional reform was the establishment of the principle "Strong President – Influential Parliament – Accountable Government". According to the Head of State, this decision ensured a balance in the system of power and created conditions for a fair distribution of powers between state institutions.
The system of state governance began to operate according to updated principles, making political processes more understandable and predictable for society. A clear delineation of responsibilities between branches of government contributed to increasing the effectiveness of the state apparatus.
The most important political and legal innovation was the introduction of a rule on the election of the president for a single term of seven years. Tokayev stressed that this procedure is enshrined for the first time in the history of independent Kazakhstan and eliminates the possibility of political manipulation surrounding the issue of re-election.
"The system of state governance has begun to operate according to new principles, thanks to which political processes have become much more understandable, predictable and transparent," the President noted.
The Head of State paid particular attention to the constitutional ban on close relatives of the president holding senior positions in the system of state governance. This measure, according to Tokayev, has blocked nepotism in power and represents a constitutional innovation without parallel in the world.
This amendment received widespread support from civil society even during the discussion phase. The ban on nepotism eliminates the risks of conflicts of interest and strengthens the principles of fairness, openness and equality of opportunity in public administration.
The President emphasised that all constitutional changes were made possible thanks to the support of the people, who confirmed their readiness for change and trust in the renewed course of the country's development in a referendum.
According to the Head of State, the Kazakh model of power is now built on principles that allow for more effective regulation of political processes in the interests of society. These reforms are aimed at strengthening the democratic foundations of the state and open a new stage in the development of national statehood, based on trust and accountability.