How the New Constitution Was Developed
The new Constitution was created openly, with the participation of experts, citizens, and representatives of all regions. The process took six months – from September 2025 to February 2026 – and included collecting proposals, expert review, public discussions, and coordination.
Development Timeline
Stage 1: Launching the Process (September 2025)
Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined the need for constitutional reform in his Address to the Nation of Kazakhstan. The key focus – transition to a unicameral parliament and strengthening mechanisms of popular participation.
Stage 2: Forming the Working Group (October 2025)
An interdepartmental Working Group on parliamentary reform was created. Its members included:
- Constitutional lawyers
- Deputies of the current Parliament (all parties)
- Business community representatives
- Human rights advocates and NGO activists
- Public administration experts
- Regional representatives
Stage 3: Collecting Citizen Proposals (October 2025 – January 2026)
Online platforms for proposals were launched:
- e-Otinish – official appeals portal
- eGov – state services portal
Any citizen could submit their proposal. Over 2,000 proposals were received. Each was reviewed by the working group.
Stage 4: Constitutional Commission Work (January–February 2026)
The Constitutional Commission (130+ members) was formed under the chairmanship of Elvira Azimova (Chair of the Constitutional Court).
All commission sessions were held in an open format with online broadcast. Topics discussed:
- Power structure
- Checks and balances mechanisms
- Citizens' rights (including digital)
- Electoral system
- Popular participation institutions
Stage 5: Publication and Final Discussion (February 2026)
The new Constitution was published for public review. Events held:
- Expert roundtables
- Regional discussions
- Media briefings
Stage 6: Referendum (March 15, 2026)
Citizens made the decision on March 15, 2026: voting took place on March 15, 2026.
Who Participated in Development
Constitutional Commission members (130+):
- Lawyers – constitutionalists, judges, prosecutors
- Parliamentarians – deputies from all factions (Amanat, Auyl, QHP, Respublika, OSDP)
- Business – representatives of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs "Atameken"
- Civil society – NGOs, human rights advocates, activists
- Regions – representatives of all oblasts and cities of republican significance
- Academia – scholars, legal researchers
- Media – journalists, editors
- Culture – figures from culture and arts
Gender balance: maintained (at least 30% women).
Regional balance: all regions of Kazakhstan represented.
Process Transparency
- All sessions broadcast live – on official portals and YouTube
- Materials published – minutes, transcripts, proposals (anonymized)
- Open communication channel – citizens could ask questions via eGov
- Media coverage – daily briefings, interviews with commission members
Key facts
- Six months of work – September 2025 to February 2026
- 130+ experts – lawyers, deputies, business, NGOs, regions
- 2,000+ citizen proposals – via e-Otinish and eGov
- All sessions open – live broadcasts, access to materials
Public positions and documents
An editorial selection showing how the topic developed and where it stands now.
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«Текст новой Конституции, подготовленный на основе общественных обсуждений, проходивших в течение шести месяцев, был опубликован две недели назад в средствах массовой информации и интернет-ресурсах.»
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«На основе концепции Главы государства «Слышащее государство» был выстроен механизм эффективной обратной связи с обществом, предложения граждан по возможности были учтены.»
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«Идея обновления Конституции зародилась два года назад. Затем она получила широкое обсуждение с последующей детальной разработкой проекта нового Основного закона.»
Basis for this explainer
Constitutional provisions and primary sources supporting this explanation.
Constitutional provisions
Primary sources
Open sources the editorial team used to verify this explainer. Checked 16 July 2026.
Related articles
Quick links to the constitutional articles behind this explainer.