Tokayev dissolves lower house of Kazakh parliament

The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, dissolved the lower house (Majilis) of the republic’s parliament. Decree published on the President’s website.

“Dissolve the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the seventh convocation,” the document says.

Extraordinary elections of deputies of the lower house are scheduled for March 19, 2023.

In addition, Tokayev ahead of schedule stopped powers of maslikhats (local representative bodies) at all levels. The appointment, organization and holding of extraordinary elections of deputies of maslikhats is also entrusted to the CEC of the republic.

President of Kazakhstan announced holding snap parliamentary elections in the first half of 2023 in the course of his message to the people on September 1, 2022. According to the plan, the elections were to be held in 2025.

As Tokayev noted in a statement dated January 19, published on the website of the President of the Republic, holding early elections to the Majilis is dictated by the logic of the constitutional reform approved at the referendum on June 5, 2022.

“According to its results, our country has switched to new, more fair and competitive rules for the formation of a representative branch of government,” — says in Tokaev’s statement.

He explained that now 70% of the deputies of the lower house will be elected from party lists, and 30% from single-mandate constituencies. Elections to maslikhats of regions and cities of republican significance will be held in a ratio of 50 to 50. In the case of the election of deputies to maslikhats of districts and cities of regional significance, citizens of Kazakhstan will vote only in single-member districts.

In addition, the threshold was lowered from 7 to 5% for parties to enter the Majilis. To register a party, it is now enough for it to have 5,000 members (up from 20,000 before), Tokayev added.