Kazakhstan to hold early Majilis elections on March 19

The announcement that Kazakhstan will hold early Majilis elections on March 19

ASTANA: Kazakhstan will hold early Majilis (lower house of the bicameral parliament) elections on March 19, 2023, reports from Kazakhstan have said.

On Thursday, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev dissolved the Majilis and called for early elections.

“In accordance with the Constitution, after consultations with the chairmen of the chambers of Parliament and the Prime Minister, I signed decrees on the dissolution of the Majilis and the early termination of the powers of maslikhats,” Tokayev said in a statement.

The maslikhats are local representative bodies elected by the people of a region.

The date of the elections of the maslikhat deputies at all levels will be set by the Central Election Commission.

Tokayev said the holding of early elections to the Mazhilis and maslikhats is dictated by the logic of the constitutional reform, supported by citizens in a national referendum.

“Based on its results, our country has switched to new, more fair and competitive rules for the formation of a representative branch of government,” the Kazakh leader said.

According to Tokayev, 70% of the deputies of the Majilis will be elected from party lists and the remaining 30% from single-mandate constituencies.

“We have entered a new era in the development of Kazakhstan. The country is undergoing a dynamic and comprehensive renewal process. These elections will become the embodiment of the changes taking place in society and will give a powerful impetus to the further modernization of our political system.”