President Tokayev rules out shift to parliamentary republic in Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has said that there are no discussions underway on transforming the republic from presidential to parliamentary.

“I will be absolutely frank: the essence of the reform lies in further strengthening the institutional foundation of our political system. The issue of establishing a parliamentary republic is not on the agenda," the president said in a statement published by his press service, Caliber.Az reports, citing Kazakh media.

"Our defining model of ‘A strong president — an influential parliament — an accountable government’ remains in place,” Tokayev noted.

Kazakhstan has operated as a presidential republic since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, with significant executive power concentrated in the presidency. Tokayev, who assumed office in 2019 following the resignation of long-time leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, has introduced reforms to enhance parliamentary oversight and government accountability while maintaining strong presidential authority. These include constitutional amendments in 2022 that reduced some presidential powers, such as limiting the president to a single seven-year term, and expanded the Mazhilis (lower house) role in appointing regional governors.

By Khagan Isayev