First draft of Kazakhstan’s new Constitution presented
Deputy Chairman of the Constitutional Court, Bakyt Nurmukhanov, presented the first draft of the new Supreme Law at the sixth session of the Constitutional Commission, Qazinform News Agency reports.
He noted that following a proposal from Commission members at the previous session, the first draft of the new Constitution has been prepared.
The document incorporates public proposals collected over the past six months, along with the Commission members' opinions and recommendations raised during the fourth session.
"The first draft of Kazakhstan's new Constitution consists of the Preamble, 11 sections, and 95 articles. The Preamble has been entirely updated. It reflects national values that embody our past while serving as a guiding light for the nation’s present and future. The development of human capital, education, science, and innovation has been designated as a strategic pillar of the state policy. These novelties underwent extensive public discussion and have received widespread support," said Nurmukhanov.
The first section, "Foundations of the Constitutional Order," covers fundamental provisions defining the state structure and reinforcing sovereignty and independence. In line with them, Kazakhstan is a unitary state. A presidential republic is designated as the form of government. This fulfills the recommendations of numerous scientists and experts regarding the need to specify the governance model.
It is proposed that the country’s administrative-territorial structure be governed by constitutional law rather than an ordinary one. Sovereignty and Independence, unitarity, territorial integrity, and the form of government of the Republic are classified as immutable values. This principle is enshrined in the opening articles of the Constitution.
"Just yesterday, Commission Deputy Chairman Erlan Karin proposed to enshrine at the constitutional level the clause that sovereignty belongs to the people. This idea is reflected in the text of the Constitution. Article 4 clearly establishes that the people of Kazakhstan is the sole source of state power and the holder of sovereignty," Bakyt Nurmukhanov stated.
As previously reported, President of Kazakhstan Kassym‑Jomart Tokayev emphasized that any amendments to the Constitution, even minor ones, should be introduced exclusively through a referendum.