President Tokayev’s new political reforms in Kazakhstan

H.E. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Kazakhstan, presented Third Package of Political Reforms at the first meeting of the newly elected Mazhilis (Lower House) of the Parliament on January 15, 2021.

The new initiatives of the President to further institutionalize development of the political system of Kazakhstan and enhance the mechanisms of protection of human rights. In particular, President Tokayev proposed the following reforms:

1. Reduction of the threshold for political parties to gain seats in the Mazhilis (Lower House of the Parliament) from 7% to 5%. Introduction of this norm is expected to increase political competitiveness that would allow the system to take into account opinions of the broader layers of population when developing state policies.
2. Introduction of "against all" option in the ballots for elections of all levels. Introduction of such a column in elections will provide voters with legitimate tool for expressing an alternative options.
3. Proceeding with the elections of district akims (district governors) after conducting elections of rural akims (rural areas mayors) starting in 2021. Thus, President Tokayev for the first time outlined the prospects for further democratization of the electoral process at the local level, envisaging increase in governing role of the local population in their region of residence.
4. Legal formalization of the institution of online petitions. Such mechanism to contribute to a more accurate implementation of the “hearing state” concept, involvement of civil society into decision-making process.
5. Adaptation of a separate Law on Ombudsman, which will regulate the activities of this institution in various directions and sectors. Kazakhstani Head of State emphasizes importance of continuing to improve legislation in the field of human rights protection.
6. Strengthening the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights, including establishment regional offices. This measure will strengthen its work with real content and authority.
7. Implementation of the Youth Development Index. In 2020 the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan adopted comprehensive measures to support youth. New national projects and laws in the field of youth policy and volunteering are being developed. Now the work of local authorities in the field of youth policy will be assessed on the basis of Youth Development Index.
8. Providing measures to stimulate charitable activities. The Government will prepare a set of norms to provide concessional financing in the first years of the establishment and development of charitable organizations, as well as possibility of preferential use of state property by them.
9. Further improvement of the public control system. Adoption of the Law on Public Oversight should increase the ability of Public Councils and other civic institutions to conduct qualitative audit of the government agencies’ effectiveness.

Implementation of the Third Package of Political Reforms will facilitate strengthening the human rights protection system, expand civic participation, develop parliamentarism and a multi-party system, and further democratize the country.