Parliamentary reform – a response to challenges of time, say European experts
The initiative of the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, on transformation of the Parliament into a unicameral body, generated interest among European political experts. Opinions largely converge: the reform reflects the pressing challenges of the current time, and its practical outcomes will depend on the level of openness and inclusivity in its implementation process, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Alina Belskaya, an expert on foreign and defense policy of the European Union, believes that such transformations comply with global challenges and increase the state’s capability to promptly respond to the changes.
“The reform of the political system meets the demand that is currently emerging in many countries, since the Parliament, being a representative body, must be able to quickly and effectively respond to the dynamically developing world,” Belskaya said in an interview with Kazinform.
In her opinion, the key function of the parliament is to represent the will of the citizens, and the time given to discuss the reforms, creates opportunities for a broader inclusion and enhancing people’s trust.
“It is equally important for Parliament to represent the will and interests of the citizens. A positive aspect is the extended timeframe allocated for discussing the reform, which creates favorable conditions for building an inclusive political system and strengthening public trust in government institutions,” she said.
Alun Thomas, a Staffordshire University researcher, points out the increased efficiency in the decision-making process associated with the transition to a unicameral system.
“As President Tokayev noted in his remarks, Kazakhstan's legislative structures were developed during a period of rapid transition in the 1990s. Since then, the Central Asian republics have been adjusting their arrangements to suit their specific circumstances. There has been an interesting blend of divergence and convergence. Kyrgyzstan also moved away from bicameralism, for example, while Uzbekistan moved towards it,” he says.
The expert pointed out that a new unicameral system would seem to sacrifice high-level legislative scrutiny in favour of greater responsiveness and clearer lines of accountability.
James Sharp, former British Ambassador to Kazakhstan and member of the Caspian Policy Center Advisory Board, believes that reform should mean allowing the creation of multi-party system, independent voices, a strong civil society, free media and free and fair elections.
On September 8, 2025, in his annual address to the nation, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed turning Kazakhstan’s Parliament into a unicameral body.
