On March 16, 2022, Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered a Message to the people of Kazakhstan NEW KAZAKHSTAN: THE PATH OF RENEWAL AND MODERNIZATION.
As the President of our country noted, "It is important to ensure fair and open competition, to permanently eradicate all artificial monopolies both in the economy and in politics."
Our task is to strengthen the role of Parliament, which will be an important factor in the successful implementation of the concept of a "hearing state".
We have a clear image of the future and the contours of a New Kazakhstan - an effective state with a strong civil society.
We must implement the key formula of our state-building – "A strong President – an influential Parliament - an accountable Government."
According to the Head of State, we have to significantly strengthen the role of Parliament and thereby increase the institutional stability of the state. The country needs a strong representative government in which responsible deputies with a mandate of people's trust will play an active role in state-building. In this connection, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed to revise the order of formation and a number of functions of the Senate. Currently, the upper house consists of 49 deputies (two elected senators from each region) and 15 senators appointed by the President. The presidential quota in the Senate should be considered not as a means of control, but as a mechanism for taking into account the voices and opinions of social groups that are poorly represented in Parliament.
Therefore, the President of the country decided to reduce the presidential quota in the Senate from 15 to 10 deputies. Moreover, five of them will be recommended by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan, and not elected by it, as is currently the case. The lower house of Parliament should reflect the entire electoral landscape of the country without granting artificial preferences to anyone. Thus, the quota of the APK in the Majilis will be abolished, which is correct both from a political and legal point of view. This quota is transferred to the Senate and reduced from 9 to 5 deputies. Accordingly, the total number of deputy seats in the Majilis will decrease. This innovation will provide mandates and additional votes to various ethnic groups in the upper house. According to the Constitution, the Senate has the right to adopt or not to adopt bills approved by the Majilis. That is, the Mazhilis actually has no possibility of overcoming the objections of the upper chamber. The Head of State considers it expedient to introduce a norm that presupposes the right of the Senate only to approve or disapprove laws already adopted by the Majilis. Consequently, it is the Mazhilis that is given the right to adopt laws.
The key goal of the country's political modernization is to increase the role of citizens in government, including through electoral processes. Electoral processes have lost their former attractiveness for citizens, political alienation has increased. People simply stopped believing that their voice matters and is able to change life in the country for the better. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev suggests moving to a more harmonious - mixed electoral system that will fully take into account the rights of all citizens and return to a proportional-majoritarian model of the electoral system that will better reflect the interests of voters both at the national and regional levels. In addition, the mixed model will be implemented in the elections of maslikhats of regions and cities of republican significance. "Returning to such a variant of the electoral system is a very serious step," the Head of State noted. Such an approach will significantly strengthen democratic traditions and promote the establishment of a new political culture based on mutual responsibility and trust.
Regarding districts and cities where close interaction of deputies with citizens is required, the Head of State proposed to completely switch to a majority system. This will create a more competitive political environment on the ground. In his opinion, the connection of deputies with voters will also make the transition to an imperative mandate more durable. This is an additional lever of influence on people's deputies, because it will be possible to recall them in case of improper fulfillment of election promises.
The combination of proportional and majority systems will preserve the role of political parties as one of the key institutions of civil society. The consequence of the introduction of a mixed electoral model will increase the electoral activity of citizens and their involvement in the process of comprehensive modernization of the country.
Regarding the modernization of the electoral process, international experience shows that the system of organizing elections is in line with constant changes, the search for optimal solutions for holding fair and transparent elections is underway. In the era of rapid development of communication technologies, the activity of candidates and parties in social networks is of great importance. But the current legislation does not regulate agitation in social networks. Despite this, it was conducted in one way or another during the electoral campaigns. To eliminate this omission, the President of the country proposes to allow campaigning in social networks by fixing the relevant regulations and rules.
The history of democracy is, first of all, the history of improving electoral procedures and monitoring their compliance, for this it is also necessary to legislate the activities of observers. This institution is an integral element of transparent elections.
Territorial election commissions also play an important role in the organization and conduct of elections. With the introduction of direct election of rural akims last year, the electoral process across the country has become, in fact, permanent.
In order to exclude the possibility of double voting, as well as voting at any polling station, it is necessary to consider the feasibility of forming a single electronic database of voters.
And in order to prevent the influence of individuals on the course of elections, it is required to set limits on the size of donations to election funds.
According to the Constitution and according to international law, any elections in Kazakhstan are strictly our internal affair. But this rule does not exclude potential attempts to influence their results from abroad.
Taking into account these factors, the general increase in various hybrid threats in the world, including the use of electoral technologies, effective measures should be taken at the legislative level to prevent any possibility of foreign interference in the elections in our country, this concerns ensuring maximum financial transparency of all participants in election campaigns, whether candidates, observers or the media.
To achieve our goals, the renewal of the state apparatus or personnel changes are not enough. Everyone should start changes with themselves. We need to reset the system of individual and social values.