ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court launched audio and video versions of the new Constitution in both Kazakh and Russian on July 23 to improve access to legal information. A complete video version has also been published on the court’s official social media platforms.
Photo credit: Sputnik / Vladislav Vodnev
The initiative is designed to ensure broader and more equal access to the country’s fundamental law. The audio format provides an accessible option for people with visual impairments and for citizens who prefer to receive information through listening. The full text of the Constitution is available in written format, accompanied by the new audio version for public use.
The country’s new Constitution was adopted through a nationwide referendum on March 15 and entered into force on July 1. The document consists of a Preamble, 11 sections and 96 articles, replacing the 1995 Constitution.
The reform introduces significant changes to Kazakhstan’s political system, aimed at moving from a super-presidential model toward a more balanced presidential republic with a stronger Parliament. The changes focus on redistributing state powers, strengthening institutional checks and balances, and improving government accountability.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasized that the new Constitution builds on Kazakhstan’s achievements over the past three decades while adapting the country’s governance system to new political, economic and technological realities.
Key institutional changes
One of the most significant reforms is replacing the bicameral Parliament with a unicameral legislature, the Kurultai, which receives broader oversight powers over the government. The elections for the Kurultai are scheduled to take place on Aug. 23.
The Constitution also restores the position of vice president, establishing a clear succession mechanism in the event of the president’s resignation, death or inability to perform duties.
Another major change is the creation of the People’s Council (Halyk Kenesi), a consultative body designed to strengthen public participation and provide recommendations on national unity, social development and public policy.
Human rights and national priorities
The new Constitution places human rights, freedoms and social guarantees at the center of state policy. It strengthens protections for digital rights and personal data while recognizing education, science, innovation and environmental protection as strategic priorities.
The document also reinforces Kazakhstan’s secular identity, supports cultural heritage preservation and strengthens constitutional protections for family and social values.
Brief history of Kazakhstan’s Constitution
Kazakhstan’s constitutional tradition dates back to the legal codes of the Kazakh Khanate. In 1911, reformer Barlybek Syrtanov drafted the “Charter of the Kazakh People,” later supported by the Alash movement in 1917.
Following independence, Kazakhstan adopted its first Constitution in 1993. A new Constitution was approved by referendum in 1995 after extensive public discussion, during which more than 1,100 amendments were introduced to the draft. The 1995 Constitution established the foundations of the modern state system, including a clearer separation of powers and the structure of government institutions.
Over the following decades, the Constitution underwent major amendments in 1998, 2007, 2011, 2017 and 2022. This year, Kazakhstan adopted a new Constitution through a nationwide referendum, marking a new stage in the country’s constitutional development and introducing significant reforms to the political system, state institutions and constitutional rights.
