When will the Vice President appear and what is the role?

The office of Vice President is established by the new Constitution and by the law on the President signed on June 5, 2026. The Vice President is appointed by the President with the consent of the Kurultai, so the full launch of the office depends on the formation of the new parliament.

Current as of June 10, 2026. This page is updated as new official acts, decrees, and clarifications are published.
After the Referendum
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Why the Vice President is Introduced

Under the 1995 Constitution, if presidential powers ended early, they passed to the Chair of the Senate, then the Chair of the Mazhilis, and then the Prime Minister. The new model places the Vice President first in that chain, making the mechanism of continuity more direct and manageable.

New Succession Order

  1. Vice President — first in line
  2. Chair of the Kurultai — if the Vice President cannot assume the powers
  3. Prime Minister — next in the order of substitution

How the Office is Filled

  • The Vice President is appointed by the President.
  • The appointment requires the consent of the Kurultai.
  • Exact qualification details should be checked against the final text of the signed law on the President and the official publication.

When the Institution Can Fully Start

  • The constitutional norm begins to operate on July 1, 2026.
  • But the practical appointment depends on when the Kurultai is formed and can give its consent.

Fact

The Vice President institution existed in Kazakhstan in 1991–1995. The first and only Vice President was Erik Asanbayev.

Related questions

When do the new constitutional laws take effect?

Some of the key laws were already signed on June 5, 2026. The Constitution itself takes effect on July 1, and after that a decree on Kurultai elections and the launch of institutions that depend on the new parliament are expected.

How will the Kurultai be formed?

The Kurultai is a unicameral supreme representative body of 145 deputies. The constitutional law on the Kurultai was signed on June 5, 2026, and the first elections are expected in August after the Constitution enters into force and a presidential decree is issued.

Kurultai Elections 2026: What Is Already Known

After the Constitution enters into force on July 1, a presidential decree is expected to call the first Kurultai elections. The public target is August 2026; it is already known that the Kurultai will be a unicameral body of 145 deputies elected by proportional representation.

What changed after the new Constitution was adopted?

On 15 March 2026, citizens of Kazakhstan approved the new Constitution in a referendum. Key constitutional laws were signed on June 5, the Constitution takes effect on July 1, Kurultai elections are expected in August 2026, and the Kazakhstan People's Council is expected to launch in September.