# How is the People's Council formed?

> The body has 126 members divided into three equal groups: ethnocultural associations (42), NGOs and civil society (42), and maslikhats plus regions (42). Candidates are nominated by those structures and then approved by the President.

Canonical URL: https://constitution.my/p/halyk-kenesi-how-formed?lang=en
Language: en
Updated: 2026-07-26

Section: Kurultai Elections

## Composition
The People's Council includes **126 members** divided into three equal groups of **42 each**:
- representatives of **ethnocultural associations**
- representatives of **NGOs, professional associations, and civil society**
- representatives of **maslikhats and regional public councils**

## How It Is Formed
- First, candidates are **nominated by the relevant bodies**
- Then the final composition is **approved by the President**
It is not an elected parliamentary body, but a **consultative and nominative** constitutional institution.

## Powers
- the **right of legislative initiative** in the Kurultai
- the **right to initiate a referendum**
- sessions held **at least once a year**

## How It Differs from the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan
The old Assembly is dissolved. The People's Council becomes its constitutional successor, but with a **wider mandate** that covers not only ethnocultural bodies, but also NGOs, professional groups, and regions.

## Term and Launch
- members serve **4-year terms**
- the law has been in force since July 1 and the Secretariat was created on July 2; no date for approving the membership or holding the first session has yet been published

## Checked sources

- [Official publication of the 2026 Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan](https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/K2600000000) – Adilet Legal Information System (checked 2026-07-16)
- [Constitutional Law on the Kazakhstan People's Council](https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/Z2600000298) – Adilet Legal Information System (checked 2026-07-16)
- [Decree establishing the Secretariat of the Kazakhstan People's Council](https://adilet.zan.kz/rus/docs/U2600001343) – Adilet Legal Information System (checked 2026-07-16)

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Source: https://constitution.my/p/halyk-kenesi-how-formed?lang=en
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