{"faq_id":"0d99f31e-a38b-4723-bfb8-26c9e0ada8d3","code":"key-changes","kind":"faq","canonical_slug":"key-changes","section":{"id":23,"code":"about","slug":"about","title":"About the Constitution"},"lang":"en","question":"Key Changes in the New Constitution","short_answer":"The new Constitution preserves the foundations of statehood but changes the architecture of power and strengthens citizens' rights. Key changes: transition to a unicameral parliament, introduction of the Vice President, expansion of digital rights, and strengthened mechanisms of popular oversight.","blocks":{"answer_html":"<h2>1. SYSTEM OF POWER: From Bicameral Parliament to Kurultai</h2>\n<p><strong>Before:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Parliament = Senate (49 deputies) + Mazhilis (98 deputies)</li>\n<li>Coordination between two chambers</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Now:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Kurultai</strong> – unicameral supreme representative body</li>\n<li><strong>145 deputies</strong> (instead of 147 in two chambers)</li>\n<li><strong>Proportional system</strong> at the national level (party lists)</li>\n<li><strong>Expanded powers:</strong> from 13 to 23 constitutionally enshrined functions</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Why:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Optimizing the legislative process (one chamber – one process)</li>\n<li>Personal accountability of every deputy (transparent voting)</li>\n<li>Strengthening parliament's role in checks and balances</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>2. VICE PRESIDENT: A New Institution of Continuity</h2>\n<p><strong>What is introduced:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>The position of <strong>Vice President of the Republic of Kazakhstan</strong></li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>How appointed:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>President appoints with the <strong>consent of Kurultai</strong> (institutional filter)</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Functions:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Coordinating government work on the President's behalf</li>\n<li>Participating in Government and Kurultai sessions</li>\n<li>In case of early termination of the President's powers, temporarily serves as acting President until new elections are held within 60 days</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>3. CITIZENS' RIGHTS: Digital Rights and Procedural Guarantees</h2>\n<p><strong>a) Digital rights (new block):</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Right to personal data protection</li>\n<li>Privacy of digital communications (email, messengers)</li>\n<li>Statutory routes to request removal of information in defined cases</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>b) Rights upon detention:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Detention without court: <strong>72 → 48 hours</strong></li>\n<li><strong>Rights explanation upon detention</strong> – authorities must inform a detained person of the grounds and relevant rights</li>\n<li>Mandatory right to a lawyer from the moment of detention</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>c) Presumption of innocence:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Enshrined as a <strong>general constitutional principle</strong> (not just criminal proceedings)</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>d) Peaceful assemblies:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Right to peaceful assemblies without weapons is guaranteed</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>4. POPULAR PARTICIPATION: Institutionalizing Dialogue</h2>\n<p><strong>Kazakhstan People's Council (Khalyq Keñesi):</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Consultative-advisory body under the President</li>\n<li>Includes representatives of civil society, NGOs, experts, regions</li>\n<li>Discusses draft laws, development strategies, social issues</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Appeals and petitions:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>The Constitution preserves the right to individual and collective appeals</li>\n<li>Supported petitions are reviewed by the competent authorities under the Administrative Procedural Code; this is not direct citizen legislative initiative</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>5. WHAT DOES NOT CHANGE</h2>\n<p>Preserved:</p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President</strong> – head of state, 7-year term, single term, party neutrality</li>\n<li><strong>Presidential form of government</strong> – President forms the Government</li>\n<li><strong>Unitary state</strong> – not a federation</li>\n<li><strong>Popular sovereignty</strong> – citizens are the source of power</li>\n<li><strong>Fundamental rights</strong> – freedom of speech, assembly, religion, property</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>&quot;Before and After&quot; Table</h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Item</th>\n<th>1995 Constitution</th>\n<th>2026 Constitution</th>\n</tr>\n</thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Parliament</td>\n<td>Senate (49) + Mazhilis (98)</td>\n<td>Kurultai (145)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Parliamentary powers</td>\n<td>13 functions</td>\n<td>23 functions</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Vice President</td>\n<td>No</td>\n<td>Yes (with Kurultai consent)</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Detention period</td>\n<td>72 hours</td>\n<td>48 hours</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Digital rights</td>\n<td>Not regulated</td>\n<td>Data protection, communication privacy</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>People's Council</td>\n<td>Informal status</td>\n<td>Constitutional status</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td>President</td>\n<td>7 years, single term</td>\n<td>7 years, single term (unchanged)</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table>\n<p>→ <a href=\"/full-text?lang=en\">Full text of the 2026 Constitution</a> · <a href=\"/constitution-1995?lang=en\">1995 Constitution</a></p>\n","facts_html":"<ul>\n<li>Kurultai replaces Senate and Mazhilis – optimizing legislative process</li>\n<li>Vice President – continuity + institutional oversight</li>\n<li>Digital rights – data and privacy protection</li>\n<li>48 hours instead of 72 – strengthened procedural guarantees</li>\n<li>People's Council – permanent dialogue institution</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":21,"title":"Digital Rights"},{"number":42,"title":"President"},{"number":49,"title":"Vice President"},{"number":52,"title":"Kurultai"},{"number":70,"title":"People's Council"},{"number":72,"title":"Constitutional Court"},{"number":87,"title":"Local Government"},{"number":94,"title":"Entry into Force"},{"number":95,"title":"Transitional Provisions"}],"entity_links":[{"type":"constitutional_article","number":21,"label":"Article 21","title":"Digital Rights","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-21"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":42,"label":"Article 42","title":"President","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-42"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":49,"label":"Article 49","title":"Vice President","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-49"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":52,"label":"Article 52","title":"Kurultai","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-52"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":70,"label":"Article 70","title":"People's Council","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-70"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":72,"label":"Article 72","title":"Constitutional Court","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-72"}],"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"},{"id":"constitution-1995-gov-archive","type":"historical_legal_text","url":"https://www.gov.kz/uploads/2020/2/11/92594e9ba28352a961ca421505b4b79a_original.146163.pdf","title":"Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 1995 (official archive publication)","publisher":"Gov.kz","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"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 1995 (official archive publication)","url":"https://www.gov.kz/uploads/2020/2/11/92594e9ba28352a961ca421505b4b79a_original.146163.pdf","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Gov.kz"},"dateModified":"2026-07-16"}],"source_citation_urls":["https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2600000000","https://www.gov.kz/uploads/2020/2/11/92594e9ba28352a961ca421505b4b79a_original.146163.pdf"]}