My Constitution
Which rules already apply, how the new rights work, and which decisions still depend on the Kurultai elections and the rollout of the new institutions
Since July 1, 2026, the Constitution has been in force. New rights are already being applied – digital rights, enhanced protection upon detention (48 hours instead of 72), and the right to petition.
OpenThe reform follows different timelines: the Vice President comes after the Kurultai is formed, the People's Council is expected as the next public stage, while the citizen application mechanism at the...
OpenOn July 1, 2026, after the Constitution entered into force, the President signed the decree calling the first Kurultai elections.
OpenThe law on the Kurultai was signed on June 5, 2026. It fixes a unicameral parliament of 145 deputies elected by proportional representation, and on July 1 the President signed the decree calling the first...
OpenThe Kurultai is the unicameral parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The 2026 Constitution replaces the bicameral structure of the Senate and Mazhilis with a single representative body of 145 deputies...
OpenThe Constitutional Court is the supreme body of constitutional review, ensuring the supremacy of the Constitution and protecting the constitutional rights of citizens.
OpenThe Constitution guarantees core personal, political, social, and digital rights. Below is what the 2026 Constitution now protects directly, which guarantees became stronger, and where to go if a right...
OpenIf a right is violated, the right path depends on the situation: an ordinary court, the Constitutional Court, the ombudsperson, or the prosecutor's office.
OpenThe Vice President is a new constitutional office created to ensure continuity of governance, coordination, and institutional stability.
OpenThe President is the head of state, guarantor of the Constitution, and protector of the rights and freedoms of citizens.
OpenThe Government is the highest executive body responsible for implementing state policy, managing the economy, social development, and public administration.
OpenLocal government and self-government are the institutions through which public authority is exercised at the level closest to citizens.
OpenIn the new constitutional model, a petition is an official mechanism through which citizens can collectively raise a public issue.
OpenThe Constitution is the fundamental law of the state that defines the structure of power, citizens' rights, and the basic rules of society.
OpenThe new Constitution preserves the foundations of statehood but changes the architecture of power and strengthens citizens' rights.
OpenHere you can access the full text of the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan online in Kazakh and Russian, along with official publications and comparative materials.
OpenThe new Constitution was created openly, with the participation of experts, citizens, and representatives of all regions.
OpenIt's better to read the Constitution in blocks rather than sequentially: first rights and freedoms, then the power structure and amendment procedure.
OpenThe 1995 Constitution laid the foundations of an independent state. But over 30 years, the economy, technology, public expectations, and governance institutions have changed.
OpenThe hierarchy runs: Constitution → constitutional laws → laws → presidential decrees → government resolutions → ministerial orders.
OpenYes, but only under strict constitutional conditions. Any limitation of rights must be established by law, pursue a legitimate aim, and remain proportionate.
Open'Direct effect' means that constitutional provisions apply without waiting for additional legislation. If your right is written in the Constitution, you can invoke it in court directly – even...
OpenThe Constitution establishes not only rights but also duties: observe the laws, pay taxes, defend the country, care for children and parents, protect the environment.
OpenDigital rights are among the major innovations of the new Constitution. They include protection of personal data, privacy of digital communications, control over information about oneself, and stronger...
OpenDuring a state of emergency or wartime, some rights may be temporarily restricted, but this does not place the state outside the Constitution.
OpenThe 2026 Constitution for the first time protects personal and biometric data at the constitutional level. Collection, storage, and dissemination of data without consent is a violation of constitutional...
OpenFrom the moment of detention you have rights – to know the reason, contact a lawyer, notify relatives, and not testify against yourself.
OpenThe new Constitution strengthens basic guarantees at the moment of detention, including the right to be informed of one’s rights, access to a lawyer, judicial control, and protection against unlawful...
OpenThe National Bank is the central bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan and is responsible for monetary policy, price stability, and the stability of the financial system.
OpenThe Prosecutor General is the highest official of the prosecution service and oversees compliance with the law throughout the state system.
OpenThe maslikhat is the local representative body through which local interests, oversight, and political accountability are expressed.
OpenLocal administration is a top-down hierarchy: akims appointed from the centre. Local self-government is a bottom-up initiative: residents themselves decide what to repair and build.
OpenLocal self-government matters because it is the level of public power closest to people’s everyday lives. It determines how communities are heard, how local priorities are set, and how quickly public...
OpenThe local People’s Council is a proposed participation mechanism at the local level through which residents, community representatives, experts, and civil society actors can discuss local issues and...
OpenParticipation extends beyond elections. The Constitution provides for peaceful assembly, appeals to state bodies (which are required to respond), applications to the Constitutional Court (free of charge)...
OpenThe akim is the head of the local executive authority and is responsible for administration, implementation of state policy, and management of local affairs within the relevant territory.
OpenPublic oversight means that citizens, experts, media, and civil society organizations can monitor public decisions and the way they are implemented.
OpenThe Kazakhstan People’s Council is a consultative and advisory body under the President designed to provide a permanent channel of dialogue between the state and society.
OpenCivil society is the sphere of organizations, communities, experts, initiatives, and associations that exist outside the state but actively influence public life.
OpenPreviously, ratified international treaties took precedence over Kazakhstan's laws. In future, treaties and laws will be on the same level, with the Constitution above everything.
OpenDiscuss the Constitution by focusing on the actual text, before-and-after comparisons, and practical examples rather than slogans or out-of-context excerpts.
OpenConstitutional change does not usually transform daily life overnight, but it can significantly affect how rights are protected, how public authority is exercised, how local participation works, and how...
OpenThe safest way to verify claims about the Constitution is to compare them with the full text, official comparison tables, and official explanatory materials.
OpenThe Constitution guarantees the right to work and protection against unemployment. If dismissed unlawfully, you can turn to the court, the labour inspectorate, or the ombudsman.
OpenThe Constitution protects property rights and freedom of enterprise. The state is obliged to create conditions for business and cannot arbitrarily confiscate property. Disputes are resolved in court.
OpenThe Constitution guarantees private property and freedom of enterprise. Seizure of property is permitted only by court order and with equivalent compensation at market value.
OpenThe Constitution guarantees the right to free secondary education. Refusal of admission is unlawful. You can turn to the local education authority, the prosecutor's office, or the court.
OpenFree secondary education is compulsory for all. The Guaranteed Volume of Free Medical Care (GVFMC) is provided free of charge.
OpenConstitutional change is easiest to understand when read historically rather than as isolated legal fragments. The best approach is to compare the previous and proposed texts and place them in the...
OpenThe 2022 constitutional reforms were aimed at rebalancing Kazakhstan’s political system. They marked a shift away from an overly centralised model toward a more balanced institutional arrangement, and...
OpenThe 1993 Constitution was the first Constitution of independent Kazakhstan. It established the legal foundations of sovereignty and marked the transition from the Soviet legal order to a national...
OpenThe 2026 Constitution did not emerge suddenly. It is the product of a long constitutional evolution that began with independence in 1991, passed through the Constitutions of 1993 and 1995, and accelerated...
OpenNo. The People's Council is a consultative body without the power to pass laws. Only the Kurultai adopts laws. The Council may submit initiatives, but they are not automatically binding.
OpenIt is not a simple rename: the Senate is abolished, presidential appointments are removed, the election system changes, the threshold rises from 5% to 7%, and a 30% gender quota is introduced.
OpenThe claim that 'the Constitution doesn't work' is a common myth. Since 2023, the Constitutional Court has accepted dozens of applications from ordinary citizens and struck down several unconstitutional...
OpenA Constitution is a legal foundation, not an automatic outcome. Real change depends on laws, court practice, and civic use.
OpenMyth: 'The Constitution is just about demanding rights; duties are forgotten.' Fact: the section is titled 'Rights, Freedoms and Duties.
OpenNot every constitution is good merely by virtue of existing. A constitution can be democratic and rights-protecting, or it can be vague, overly centralized, weak in guarantees, and ineffective in practice.
OpenMyth: 'The law is the law – the Constitution has nothing to do with it.' Fact: the Constitution stands above any law. If a law contradicts the Constitution, it has no legal force.
OpenThe Constitutional Court retains its role as guarantor of constitutional supremacy. Key changes: expansion to 10 judges, appointed by the President with Kurultai consent for 8 years.
OpenThe body has 126 members divided into three equal groups: ethnocultural associations (42), NGOs and civil society (42), and maslikhats plus regions (42).
OpenThe office of Vice President is established by the new Constitution and by the law on the President signed on June 5, 2026.
OpenThe first Kurultai elections are scheduled for August 23, 2026. On July 1, 2026, after the Constitution entered into force, the President signed the decree calling the elections.
OpenFour core laws were signed: on the President, on the Kurultai, on the Constitutional Court, and on the People's Council.
OpenThe transition period from March 16 to June 30, 2026 is complete. Key laws were signed on June 5, the new Constitution entered into force on July 1, and the decree calling Kurultai elections has been...
OpenThe Kurultai is a unicameral parliament. The Senate and presidential appointments to parliament are abolished. There are 145 deputies instead of 147, the threshold rises from 5% to 7%, and a 30% gender...
OpenThe constitutional law on the President was signed on June 5, 2026. It already aligns presidential powers with the new Constitution by introducing the office of Vice President and the new order...
OpenThe first appointment is expected after the Kurultai is formed, likely in autumn 2026. The President nominates the candidate and the Kurultai approves by majority vote.
OpenSome of the key laws were already signed on June 5, 2026. The Constitution itself took effect on July 1, and the next steps now depend on the signed decree for Kurultai elections and on the institutions...
OpenThe Kurultai is a unicameral supreme representative body of 145 deputies. The constitutional law on the Kurultai was signed on June 5, 2026, and on July 1 the President signed the decree calling the first...
OpenThe new Constitution for the first time enshrines personal data protection and the right to submit electronic appeals to state bodies.
Open