{"faq_id":"4983b24e-431e-451d-b658-dfa0f63da9fb","code":"constitution-levels-of-law","kind":"faq","canonical_slug":"constitution-levels-of-law","section":{"id":23,"code":"about","slug":"about","title":"About the Constitution"},"lang":"en","question":"What Types of Laws Exist and How They Relate to Each Other","short_answer":"The hierarchy runs: Constitution → constitutional laws → laws → presidential decrees → government resolutions → ministerial orders. Any lower-ranking act that contradicts a higher-ranking one has no legal force. The Constitution sits at the top.","blocks":{"answer_html":"<p>Not all laws are equal. There is a clear hierarchy in Kazakhstan's legal system – and the Constitution stands at its peak.</p>\n<h2>Hierarchy of legal acts</h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Level</th>\n<th>What it is</th>\n<th>Who adopts it</th>\n</tr>\n</thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>1. Constitution</td>\n<td>The fundamental law</td>\n<td>The people (referendum)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>2. Constitutional laws</td>\n<td>Laws on matters explicitly named in the Constitution</td>\n<td>Kurultai (2/3 majority)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>3. Laws</td>\n<td>The main body of legislation</td>\n<td>Kurultai (simple majority)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>4. Presidential decrees</td>\n<td>Normative acts of the head of state</td>\n<td>President</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>5. Government resolutions</td>\n<td>Acts of the executive</td>\n<td>Government</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>6. Ministerial orders</td>\n<td>Departmental acts</td>\n<td>Ministers</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>7. Maslikhat decisions</td>\n<td>Local normative acts</td>\n<td>Maslikhats</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<h2>The priority rule</h2>\n<p>If an act at a lower level contradicts one at a higher level, <strong>the higher-ranking act prevails</strong>:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>A ministerial order cannot contradict a law.</li>\n<li>A law cannot contradict a constitutional law.</li>\n<li>Nothing can contradict the Constitution.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Why this matters in practice</h2>\n<p>Suppose a local official cites a departmental order and denies you a right guaranteed by the Constitution. That order <strong>has no legal force</strong>. You can:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>challenge it in court;</li>\n<li>report it to the Prosecutor's Office;</li>\n<li>apply to the Constitutional Court if the problem lies with the law itself.</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>Constitutional laws – a special tier</h2>\n<p>Constitutional laws are adopted on matters explicitly listed in the Constitution: on the President, the Kurultai, the courts, and referendums. Their adoption requires a <strong>qualified majority</strong> – at least 2/3 of deputies. They are harder to amend than ordinary laws.</p>\n","facts_html":"<ul>\n<li>The Constitution is the supreme act, at the top of the hierarchy</li>\n<li>A lower-ranking act that contradicts a higher-ranking one has no legal force</li>\n<li>Constitutional laws require a 2/3 majority in the Kurultai</li>\n<li>The hierarchy is a practical tool for defending your rights</li>\n</ul>\n","what_not_change_html":"","where_detailed_html":"","misconceptions_html":""},"updated_at":"2026-06-16T00:00:00+00:00","article_refs":[{"number":5,"title":"Applicable Law and Constitutional Supremacy"},{"number":60,"title":"Subjects of Legislative Regulation"},{"number":61,"title":"Laws and Constitutional Laws"},{"number":90,"title":"Local Normative Acts"}],"entity_links":[{"type":"constitutional_article","number":5,"label":"Article 5","title":"Applicable Law and Constitutional Supremacy","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-5"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":60,"label":"Article 60","title":"Subjects of Legislative Regulation","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-60"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":61,"label":"Article 61","title":"Laws and Constitutional Laws","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-61"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":90,"label":"Article 90","title":"Local Normative Acts","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-90"}],"source_records":[{"id":"constitution-2026-official","type":"constitution","url":"https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2600000000","title":"Official publication of the 2026 Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan","publisher":"Adilet Legal Information System","checked_at":"2026-07-16","reviewed_at":"2026-07-18","checked_at_label":"16 July 2026"}],"verified_claims":[],"implementation_status":null,"source_schema_records":[{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Official publication of the 2026 Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan","url":"https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2600000000","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Adilet Legal Information System"},"dateModified":"2026-07-16"}],"source_citation_urls":["https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2600000000"]}