Kazakhstan to hold first Kurultai election on August 23 under 2026 constitution
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On August 23, Kazakhstanis will vote in the first election for the unicameral Kurultai, established under the 2026 constitution. The new legislature replaces the former two-chamber parliament of the Senate and Mazhilis. All seven registered political parties will compete for 145 seats with a 5% threshold.
Election Mechanics
The election will fill 145 seats for five-year terms. Candidates run on party lists from all seven registered Kazakh parties. The Central Election Commission has already completed registration of party lists. To enter the Kurultai, parties must surpass a 5% vote threshold, with seats allocated proportionally. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev set August 23 by decree, meeting constitutional deadlines after the new constitution took effect July 1.
Expanded Parliamentary Powers
The Kurultai assumes broader powers than its predecessor. It will approve appointments to the Constitutional Court, Central Election Commission, and Supreme Audit Chamber, and elect Supreme Court judges. For the first time, Kazakhstan creates a vice-president post, whose appointment requires Kurultai consent, along with the prime minister. The abolished Senate's role in cross-checking legislation is replaced by committee strengthening, three readings of bills instead of two, and wider public discussion. Under the 2026 constitution, the president serves a single seven-year term without re-election and must remain non-partisan.
What's Next
The August 23 vote proceeds during the peak vacation season, prompting many citizens to arrange absentee ballots. It remains unclear whether the new single-chamber system will maintain effective checks and balances, as all legislative authority now concentrates in one body.
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Kazakhstan to hold first Kurultai election on August 23 under 2026 constitution
