Kazakhstan marks Constitution Day

Kazakhstan is celebrating its Constitution Day today. The constitution was adopted in Kazakhstan on 30 August 1995.

An international conference dedicated to the Constitution Day of Kazakhstan was held in Astana on August 29.

According to the Constitution, Kazakhstan is a democratic, secular, rule-of-law, social, unitary state with a presidential-parliamentary form of government, the highest values of which are a person, his life, rights and freedoms. According to President Nursultan Nazarbayev, the Constitution gave the most important thing to people in Kazakhstan - the right to choose.

Adoption of the country’s main law was preceded by a broad discussion of the draft by the population. In total, about 33 thousand pubic discussions of the draft of Constitution took place attended by more than 3 million. During the discussions almost 30 thousand suggestions and comments were made. More than 1100 amendments and additions were incorporated into 55 articles of the Constitution.

The constitutional amendments were introduced in 1998, 2007, 2011. Changes and additions into 19 articles of the Constitution were introduced in 1998. Changes concerned terms and powers of the president, members of the Senate and Mazhilis, upper age limit for public servants. The amendments passed in 1998 suggested 10 members of the Mazhilis will be elected on the basis of party lists by the proportional representation system.

More significant amendments were adopted in 2007. They suggested switchover to proportional electoral system; the status of the parliament was strengthened with the provision on the prime minister’s approval by the parliamentary majority and procedure of consultations of the president with party factions during appointment of the head of government. The Assembly of People of Kazakhstan gained the constitutional status and obtained the right to delegate its representatives to the Mazhilis and the Senate of the Parliament according to the set forth quota.

In February 2011, the Constitution was amended in terms of scheduling and conduct of snap presidential elections.

In March 2017, the changes were made in the Constitution allowing establishment of a special law regime in finances within Astana, defining reasons for renunciation of citizenship for terrorism, serious damage for vital interests of the state. Requirements for the president were added, including university degree requirement and others.