The text of the new constitution proposed for the referendum to be held in Kazakhstan on March 15 has been announced.
Medianews.az reports that according to the draft, the head of state - the president is elected by national vote for a term of 7 years. No one can hold the office of head of state for more than one term. Changing this norm is prohibited.
A person who has reached the age of 40, has lived in the country for the past 15 years, has higher education, and has at least five years of work experience in state bodies has the right to run for president.
The president cannot be a member of a political party.
It is forbidden for close relatives of the head of state to hold any state positions.
The president appoints the vice president and prime minister with the consent of the parliament (Kurultay).
In the appointment of government members (except the ministers of foreign affairs, defense, and internal affairs), the prime minister's proposal is taken as a basis.
When the president passes away or leaves office ahead of time, the powers of the head of state are transferred to the vice president, if this is not possible then to the speaker of parliament, and if that is also not possible then to the prime minister.
The Kurultay consists of 145 members elected for a term of 5 years based on a proportional system (by party lists).
Currently, the Kazakhstan parliament consists of two chambers - the Mazhilis and the Senate.
In Kazakhstan, the post of president is held by Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
Born on May 17, 1953, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev graduated from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations and the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and holds a doctorate in political science.
Since 1975, he worked at the USSR Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then at the country's embassy in Singapore, and afterwards held the positions of second secretary, first secretary, and counselor at the embassy in China.
From 1992, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev served as deputy foreign minister of Kazakhstan, from 1993 as first deputy minister. In 1994, he was appointed foreign minister, and in 1999 he first became deputy prime minister and subsequently prime minister.
Since 2002, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev served as state secretary and foreign minister, and from 2007, he chaired the Senate, the upper chamber of the Kazakhstan parliament.
From 2011, as deputy secretary-general of the UN, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was again elected as the Senate speaker in 2013.
On March 20, 2019, Kazakhstan’s first president Nursultan Nazarbayev resigned, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took the presidential oath and assumed the office of head of state. He won the early presidential election held on June 9 of that year.
On November 20, 2022, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was again granted the presidential mandate in another early election.