Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev Calls Regular Elections to Lower House of Country’s Parliament

      NUR-SULTAN, 21 October 2020 – The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has signed a Decree “Regarding the Scheduling of Regular Elections of Deputies to the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan”. In accordance with the Decree, parliamentary elections proceeding according to party lists will take place on 10 January 2021, while election of deputies selected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan will proceed on 11 January 2021.

    In his address, delivered after signing the Decree, the Head of State remarked that the elections have been scheduled according to Constitutional terms, while their legitimacy, transparency, and fairness will be monitored by the Central Election Commission and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kazakhstan.

     The President underscored that the start of the election campaign was preceded by measures to modernize the political system, develop a multi-party system and expand civic participation in the country's public and political life.

     In particular, amendments have been introduced into the Constitutional Law “On the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Status of its Deputies”, which saw the institutionalization of parliamentary opposition. Moreover, Constitutional Laws “On Elections in the Republic of Kazakhstan” and “On Political Parties” include provisions that for the first time in history guarantee a 30 percent quota for women and youth among party lists.

     Upcoming elections to maslikhats (local governments) will take place according to party lists as per best international practices, thus contributing to the strengthening of the country’s political system, democratic development, and galvanization of the parties’ political activities.

Relevant links:

     Link to the Decree “Regarding the Scheduling of Regular Elections of Deputies to the Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan” of 21 October 2020: https://www.akorda.kz/ru/legal_acts/decrees/o-naznachenii-ocherednyh-vyborov-deputatov-mazhilisa-parlamenta-respubliki-kazahstan