Dear compatriots!
This year has become a year of comprehensive transformations and genuine renewal.
As a result of the constitutional reform in June, an optimal balance was formed between the branches of government.
The state will strictly adhere to the principle of “a strong President – an influential Parliament – an accountable Government.”
Future deputies of the Mazhilis (lower house of parliament) and maslikhats (local representative bodies) will be elected according to the new mixed system that will include party lists and single-mandate districts.
The Constitutional Court is being established, which will begin its work from January next year.
The institution of the Commissioner for Human Rights has acquired a constitutional status.
The redistribution of a number of powers from the President to the Parliament has been finalized.
Akims (governors) of regions are now selected on an alternative basis.
A norm has been introduced into the Constitution that the land and its subsoil belong to the people. In order to implement this provision, I initiated a fundamentally new program – “National Fund for Children”.
Constitutional reform is an integral part of the large-scale program of political modernization that I have been implementing since being elected as Head of State.
Within the framework of this program, a notification principle for holding peaceful assemblies was introduced.
The procedure for registering political parties has been simplified, the registration barrier has been lowered.
A 30% quota has been introduced for women and young people in pre-election party lists and in the distribution of deputy mandates.
The threshold for political parties to gain seats in the Mazhilis has been reduced from 7% to 5%.
A “none of the above” option has been added to ballot papers.
An institution of parliamentary opposition has been created.
Article 130 has been decriminalized and article 174 of the Criminal Code has been humanized. The death penalty has been abolished.
A mechanism of direct election of rural akims has been introduced, as well as much more.
Overall, the transformations and the constitutional reform carried out over the past three years have formed a new model of the state-political structure.
Therefore, in my state-of-the-nation Address, I publicly and openly outlined the entire schedule of the electoral cycle.
Thus, all key state institutions will be gradually reset: the President, Parliament, Government, and maslikhats.
About a month has passed since the announcement of this initiative.
This has provided enough time to discuss and evaluate all the issues carefully, without haste.
The society has a clear understanding of the logic and prospects of our plans for the transformation of the political system.
Therefore, in accordance with the previously announced electoral schedule and in accordance with the Constitution of the country, today I signed a Decree setting the date for the early election of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan for November 20, 2022.
This election is launching an electoral cycle that will lead to a radical reset of the entire political system.
This will allow us to continue to focus on solving long-term tasks to ensure sustainable economic growth and improve the well-being and quality of life of citizens.
In my Address, I announced several large-scale socio-economic measures that will be implemented in the near future.
The Election Manifesto, which I will soon present to the public, will outline new initiatives aimed at achieving socio-economic progress.
As the current Head of State, I guarantee that the election campaign will be conducted in strict accordance with the law, it will be held fairly, openly and with the broad participation of domestic and international observers.
I call on all fellow citizens to show responsibility, to be true to the principles of democracy, law and order, and to show cohesion and unity of our people.
The fate and the future of Kazakhstan is in the hands of each of us.
Together we will build a Just Kazakhstan!