{"faq_id":"302efda7-4059-4be0-a3f4-c6cbb6729fa1","code":"local-citizen-participation","kind":"faq","canonical_slug":"local-citizen-participation","section":{"id":21,"code":"local","slug":"local","title":"Local Government"},"lang":"en","question":"How a Citizen Can Participate in Governing the Country","short_answer":"Participation extends beyond elections: citizens may submit appeals, join peaceful assemblies and public councils, apply to the Constitutional Court, and support petitions under the Administrative Procedural Code. You can stand for election to a maslikhat from age 20 and to the Kurultai from age 25.","blocks":{"answer_html":"<h2>Elections are not the only tool</h2>\n<p>Voting once every five years is just the beginning. The Constitution provides a range of ways to influence decisions.</p>\n<h2>Forms of participation</h2>\n<p><strong>Elections and referendum:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>Voting in elections to the Kurultai, maslikhats, and for akims</li>\n<li>Voting in a referendum</li>\n<li>Standing for election: <strong>from age 20</strong> to a maslikhat, <strong>from age 25</strong> to the Kurultai</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Appeals:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li>To a <strong>state body</strong> – it is obliged to respond within the prescribed period. Failure to respond is a violation of the law</li>\n<li>To the <strong>Constitutional Court</strong> – if a law violates your constitutional rights (free of charge, via eGov)</li>\n<li>To the <strong>Ombudsman</strong> – if a state body has violated your rights</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>Public oversight:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Public councils</strong> attached to state bodies – participation in discussing decisions</li>\n<li><strong>Peaceful assemblies</strong> – a constitutional right (notification procedure)</li>\n<li><strong>Trade unions and NGOs</strong> – collective protection of interests</li>\n</ul>\n<p><strong>New and existing mechanisms:</strong></p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Khalyk Kenesi (People's Council)</strong> – 126 members, representatives of public groups with the right of legislative initiative</li>\n<li><strong>Petitions</strong> – a collective-appeal process under Chapter 12-1 of the Administrative Procedural Code, not direct citizen introduction of a bill</li>\n<li><strong>Digital tools</strong> – eGov as the platform for engaging with the state</li>\n</ul>\n<h2>What works right now</h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Your district maslikhat approves the budget – for roads, schools, hospitals</li>\n<li>The akim of your village is elected by you (since 2021)</li>\n<li>The Constitutional Court annuls unconstitutional laws on a citizen's application (since 2023)</li>\n<li>Public councils discuss decisions before they are adopted</li>\n</ul>\n<p>All of this depends on participation. The tools work when people use them.</p>\n","facts_html":"<ul>\n<li>Elections, referendum, appeals, public councils, peaceful assemblies – all are forms of participation</li>\n<li>Standing for election: from age 20 to a maslikhat, from age 25 to the Kurultai</li>\n<li>The Constitution introduces Khalyk Kenesi; the Administrative Procedural Code governs petitions</li>\n<li>An application to the Constitutional Court is free; a state body must respond within the prescribed period</li>\n</ul>\n","what_not_change_html":"","where_detailed_html":"","misconceptions_html":""},"updated_at":"2026-07-15T00:00:00+00:00","article_refs":[{"number":35,"title":"Citizen Participation in Governance"},{"number":70,"title":"People's Council"},{"number":87,"title":"Local Government"},{"number":91,"title":"Local Self-Government"}],"entity_links":[{"type":"constitutional_article","number":35,"label":"Article 35","title":"Citizen Participation in Governance","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-35"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":70,"label":"Article 70","title":"People's Council","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-70"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":87,"label":"Article 87","title":"Local Government","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-87"},{"type":"constitutional_article","number":91,"label":"Article 91","title":"Local Self-Government","href":"/full-text?lang=en#article-91"}],"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":"administrative-procedural-code-petitions","type":"legal_code","url":"https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2000000350#z1470","title":"Administrative Procedural Code of Kazakhstan, Chapter 12-1 on petitions","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"},{"@type":"CreativeWork","name":"Administrative Procedural Code of Kazakhstan, Chapter 12-1 on petitions","url":"https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2000000350#z1470","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Adilet Legal Information System"},"dateModified":"2026-07-16"}],"source_citation_urls":["https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2600000000","https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2000000350#z1470"]}