Political initiatives of President of Kazakhstan

NUR-SULTAN. KAZINFORM Major political initiatives in 2021 set course for Kazakhstan’s political vector next year When President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev first voiced a package of political reforms, a few months after he took presidential office, some were surprised at the ambitiousness of reforms. Two years later, despite the outbreak of the pandemic that was the focus for many world leaders, these reforms are no longer plans, but a reality. More about the political initiatives of President Tokayev in 2021 is in this latest analytical article of Kazinform.

Reduction of the electoral threshold

To expand the opportunities for political parties to get seats in Majilis, the lower chamber of the Kazakh Parliament, Kazakh President signed a decree in May that reduced the electoral threshold from 7 to 5 percent. The same decree introduced the «against all» option on electoral allots at all levels.

«Thanks to this norm, political competition will increase, and many parties will increase their chances of getting into the Parliament. It will also make it possible to take into account the opinion of the widest possible segment of the population in the development of public policy.

The introduction of the «against all» column in elections at all levels will give voters a legitimate tool to express an alternative position,» said Aide to President Erlan Karin.

The country’s Majilis consists of 107 seats, where 98 are elected from a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation and nine seats are from the Assembly of People, selected by the President.

Prior to these reforms, President Tokayev also mandated parties to have at least 30 percent of women and young people on the electoral party lists and reduced the election threshold for political parties in terms of party members from 40,000 to 20,000 party members.

Election of rural akims

For the first time in the history of Kazakhstan, rural akims were elected by a direct vote. Previously, they were elected by an indirect ballot, by a vote in local maslikhat.

The initiative to hold elections for the rural akims was first proposed by President Tokayev in his address to the nation in September 2020.

«If we really want to improve the lives of our citizens, then we should involve them in the reform process. Our subsequent political reforms should be aimed at the wider involvement of the public in the government of the country,» said Tokayev in his address. «For example, opinion polls show an increased demand for the election of rural governors. This important step should be approached carefully and consistently. We need to clearly understand how this system will work in practice.»

On July 25, Kazakhstan witnessed its first-ever election of rural akims. 730 akims were elected.

«As a result of the last elections, the composition of rural akims was renewed by more than 50 percent,» said Karin.

The introduction of direct elections is expected to make rural akims more accountable to the population and give opportunities to people to be more actively involved in political life.

Institute of Human Rights Ombudsperson

In its effort to strengthen the protection of human rights, Kazakhstan legally and systemically defined the office of Ombudsperson for Human Rights.

«The Ombudsperson shall be endowed with the status of inviolability and shall be exempt from testifying. It is forbidden to interfere with or obstruct the legitimate activities of the ombudsperson. The following specific requirements and restrictions are provided for his and her activities - a ban on engaging in political activities, public service, participation in political parties,» said Deputy Chair of the Senate Askar Shakirov.

The institute of the Ombudsperson will also have 17 regional representative offices across the country.

Death penalty

In January 2021, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signed a decree ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that commits countries to abolish the death penalty, which has been on moratorium since 2003 except for terrorism-related offenses. Kazakhstan was the 88th country to become a signatory or party to the Second Optional Protocol.

Tokayev announced that Kazakhstan would start procedures to join the protocol in December 2019 at the second meeting of the National Council of Public Trust as part of the country’s broader effort to strengthen its commitment to upholding the fundamental right to life and human dignity.

On December 23, Kazakhstan’s Senate, an upper chamber of the Parliament, passed the law on amendments to some legislative acts of Kazakhstan to abolish the death penalty without any reservations. On December 29, President Tokayev signed the amendments into law.

The death penalty is excluded from the 17 articles of the Criminal Code - life imprisonment remains the strictest punishment. In addition, the prohibition on parole of persons to whom the death penalty has been replaced by life imprisonment is established.

Overall, the country is set to continue the course of political reforms in 2022 as well, said Karin.

«And these are only the most notable initiatives of the head of the state on the block of political reforms. Two decrees and six laws have been adopted this year to implement them. In general, large and systematic work is carried out on all political innovations put forward by the President. Therefore, the vector for the implementation of real transformations in the political and human rights spheres will remain in 2022,» said Karin.

Written by Assel Satubaldina