Foreign media on Kazakhstan: Why Kazakhstan’s new political architecture matters for Europe; Why Kazakhstan is rebuilding its political system in 2026

Eureporter: Tokayev’s 'Kurultai state': Why Kazakhstan’s new political architecture matters for Europe

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev used the 5th session of Kazakhstan’s National Kurultai in Kyzylorda to outline a far-reaching redesign of the country’s political architecture, Eureporter reports. The proposals go beyond administrative reform and amount to a systemic reset. They include a shift to a unicameral parliament renamed the Kurultai, the creation of a People’s Council or Khalyk Kenesi, the introduction of a vice president, and the drafting of a new constitution by a dedicated Constitution Commission with the option of ratification through a national referendum.

Taken together, these initiatives signal not incremental adjustment but an attempt to re-engineer the state at a time of heightened global and regional uncertainty.

For Europe, the implications are concrete. Kazakhstan is a key partner for energy security, critical raw materials, and the Middle Corridor connecting Europe and Asia. In these areas, predictability and continuity matter as much as institutional form.

The proposed unicameral parliament is presented as a tool for efficiency, reducing duplication and accelerating decision-making in infrastructure, energy, and industrial policy. At the same time, fewer veto points also mean tighter agenda control, with the historical term Kurultai reinforcing a narrative that blends reform with tradition.

The establishment of the People’s Council suggests a structured state–society interface designed to absorb social and interethnic pressures. Its impact will depend on whether it institutionalises genuine consultation or managed consensus.

The most strategically significant change is the proposed vice presidency. In Kazakhstan’s highly personalised executive system, this would institutionalise succession, reduce transition risks, and provide continuity on long-term strategic priorities.

By channeling these reforms through a Constitution Commission, the leadership is seeking coherence, legitimacy, and a single constitutional moment rather than ad hoc change. Overall, the Kurultai agenda reflects a stability-first model focused on predictability and controlled evolution. For Europe, this promises a more legible partner, while confirming that democratic competition will remain carefully bounded.

The Times of Central Asia: Tokayev unveils major political reforms as Kazakhstan moves to replace the National Kurultai

According to The Times of Central Asia, the fifth and final session of Kazakhstan’s National Kurultai on January 20 marked a decisive turn in President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s reform agenda, with plans announced to dismantle both the National Kurultai and the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan. In their place, Tokayev proposed new mechanisms for state–society interaction aligned with constitutional reform and streamlined governance, arguing that legacy consultative bodies had become duplicative and weak in decision-making authority.

The move reflects Tokayev’s broader second-term strategy following the January 2022 unrest, which he has framed as a consequence of fragmented power and institutional paralysis. Analysts note a shift from cautious reform to assertive restructuring.

Political analyst Daniyar Ashimbayev described Tokayev’s approach as tactical. “Sometimes, the head of state announces strategic steps he has been considering for over a year, but only unveils them at the last moment, when no one has the opportunity to influence the message,” he said, pointing to the surprise proposal for a unicameral parliament.

A key element is the revival of the vice presidency and the consolidation of overlapping institutions into a National People’s Council. Majilis deputy Nikita Shatalov confirmed the vice presidency was announced without prior discussion.

“This is not an artificial unification, but a deepening of the parliamentary structure. More influence means more responsibility,” he said.

Supporters argue the reforms build on post-2022 trends toward stronger parliamentary oversight, while critics caution that real accountability will depend on how autonomous the new institutions prove to be.

The Caspian Post: Why Kazakhstan is rebuilding its political system in 2026

As global politics enter a phase of systemic rupture, Kazakhstan’s internal political transformation is acquiring international weight far beyond its borders, The Caspian Post reports. Against the backdrop of wars, trade conflicts, and strategic uncertainty, the Fifth National Kurultai held in Kyzylorda on January 19–20, 2026 marked a decisive moment in the country’s institutional evolution.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced plans for a fundamental overhaul of supreme state power. Central to the proposal is the abolition of the bicameral parliament and its replacement with a unicameral legislature named the Kurultai. As noted by Deutsche Welle, this would be the most far-reaching reform since 2022. The new body would consist of 145 deputies elected exclusively through proportional party lists, with mandatory social quotas retained.

Tokayev also proposed abolishing the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, arguing that privileged representation contradicts legislative independence.

“The new parliament does not need guardianship or supervision,” he said, stressing that it should be formed solely through universal elections.

In place of existing consultative bodies, a new People’s Council or Khalyk Kenesy would be created, appointed by the president and granted legislative initiative. The reform package also includes restoring the vice presidency and revising succession rules to require snap presidential elections within two months in case of vacancy.

Taken together, the reforms aim to reduce institutional duplication, clarify power hierarchies, and build a more predictable system capable of managing transition in an increasingly volatile world.

The Diplomatic Insight: Institutional transformation and strategic governance in Kazakhstan

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s address at the National Kurultai on 20 January 2026 marks a defining stage in Kazakhstan’s political evolution, The Diplomatic Insight reports. The proposed constitutional and institutional reforms go beyond administrative change, aiming to stabilize governance amid mounting global uncertainty.

Building on the 2022 constitutional amendments, Tokayev outlined a transition toward a new constitutional model to be approved by national referendum. Key elements include formalizing presidential succession, creating a vice presidency, and restructuring the political system to ensure continuity and predictability. The timing is significant, as Kazakhstan simultaneously chairs the Eurasian Economic Union and advances major East West and North South transit corridors, elevating its geopolitical and economic relevance.

The vice presidency is designed to strengthen institutional capacity for diplomacy and crisis management, signaling to international partners that leadership transitions will be orderly and rules based. Tokayev has framed these steps as a response to growing global volatility rather than a shift away from presidential authority.

Economic and technological priorities are tightly integrated into the reform agenda. Infrastructure projects along the Middle Corridor, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence are presented as strategic imperatives, with Tokayev proposing to anchor digitalization institutionally within the Constitution.

Cultural policy also features prominently. Tokayev argued that political reform must be accompanied by a transformation of public consciousness, linking governance modernization with historical scholarship and cultural preservation.

Ultimately, the reforms reflect a pragmatic effort to future proof the state. Their success will depend on credible implementation, public trust in the referendum process, and the ability to translate constitutional change into durable institutional practice.

The Caspian Post: Vice president to lead Kazakhstan if president steps down

According to The Caspian Post, Kazakhstan’s Justice Minister Erlan Sarsembayev has clarified that the vice president would assume leadership of the country in the event of an early termination of presidential powers.

Speaking at the second meeting of the Constitutional Reform Commission, Sarsembayev said parliament would be required to announce presidential elections within seven days of a vacancy, with voting to take place within two months.

He also proposed to secure in the new Constitution that the president, with the consent of the Kurultai or People’s Council, appoints the vice president and prime minister, as well as judges of the Constitutional Court and members of key oversight bodies. If consent is denied twice, the president would retain the right to dissolve the Kurultai.

“This framework serves a preventive function, encouraging political forces to seek compromise and act responsibly,” Sarsembayev said, adding that it balances presidential initiative with parliamentary authority.

The justice minister stressed that the model strengthens governance by anchoring stability in institutions rather than individual figures.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the initiatives announced by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev indicate that Kazakhstan’s constitutional reform is entering its final and most systemic phase.