Constitutional law

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
Section 1, General Provisions
Article 1
Article 1 establishes the state as a secular Article 1 establishes the state as a secular democracy Article 1 establishes the state as a secular democracy that values individual "life, rights and freedoms Article 1 establishes the state as a secular democracy that values individual "life, rights and freedoms." It outlines social and "political stability, economic development," patriotism Article 1 establishes the state as a secular democracy that values individual "life, rights and freedoms." It outlines social and "political stability, economic development," patriotism, and democracy as the principles upon which the Government serves. This is the first article in which the Parliament is mentioned.

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
Article 2
Article 2 states that Kazakhstan is a unitary state Article 2 states that Kazakhstan is a unitary state and the government is presidential. The government has jurisdiction over, and is responsible for, all territory in Kazakhstan. Regional, political divisions, including location of the capital, are left open to lower level legislation. "Republic of Kazakhstan" and "Kazakhstan" are considered one and the same.

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
Article 3
The government's power is derived from the peopleThe government's power is derived from the people and citizens have the right to vote in referendumsThe government's power is derived from the people and citizens have the right to vote in referendums and free electionsThe government's power is derived from the people and citizens have the right to vote in referendums and free elections. Article 3 establishes provincial governmentThe government's power is derived from the people and citizens have the right to vote in referendums and free elections. Article 3 establishes provincial government. Representation of the people is a right reserved to the executiveThe government's power is derived from the people and citizens have the right to vote in referendums and free elections. Article 3 establishes provincial government. Representation of the people is a right reserved to the executive and legislative branches. The government is divided between the executive, legislative, and judicial branchesThe government's power is derived from the people and citizens have the right to vote in referendums and free elections. Article 3 establishes provincial government. Representation of the people is a right reserved to the executive and legislative branches. The government is divided between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. Each branch is prevented from abusing its power by a system of checks and balances. This is the first article to mention constitutional limits on the executive branch

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
Article 4
Laws that are in effect include "provisions of the Constitution, the laws corresponding to it, other regulatory legal acts, international treaty and other commitments of the Republic as well as regulatory resolutions of Constitutional Council and the Supreme Court of the Republic." The Constitution is made the highest law. Ratified international treaties supersede national laws and are enforced, except in cases when upon ratification the Parliament recognizes contradictions between treaties and already enacted laws, in which case the treaty will not go into effect until the contradiction has been dealt with through legislation. The government shall publish all laws.

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
The 2007 amendment to the Constitution of Kazakhstan
Modified Kazakhstan's basic law Modified Kazakhstan's basic law, on May 18, 2007. The changes followed the conclusion of the activities of the 'State Commission on Democratization' formed two years previously.
In a speech on May 16 to the Joint Session In a speech on May 16 to the Joint Session of the Chambers of Parliament In a speech on May 16 to the Joint Session of the Chambers of Parliament, President Nursultan Nazarbayev In a speech on May 16 to the Joint Session of the Chambers of Parliament, President Nursultan Nazarbayev summarized the development of Kazakhstan In a speech on May 16 to the Joint Session of the Chambers of Parliament, President Nursultan Nazarbayev summarized the development of Kazakhstan since independence in 1991, and outlined his proposed constitutional changes.

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
The main changes proposed by the President were as follows:
The reduction of the presidential term from 7-years to 5-years, coming into effect after the next election in 2012
To adopt proportional representationTo adopt proportional representation for the Majilis, or lower Chamber of deputies

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
To increase the number of senatorsTo increase the number of senators selected by the President, from 7 to 15
To give to the Senate the power of consultation on the appointment of a President of the National Bank
To increase the number of Majilis deputies to 107 - 98 deputies elected by proportional representation and 9 deputies representing the Assembly of the Peoples' of Kazakhstan. The total number of the parliamentary deputies will therefore increase by 38 and will amount to 154

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
To strengthen the powers of political parties by depriving members of the Majilis of their mandate in the event that they are expelled from their party
To make the government accountable not only to the Head of State, but to the whole Parliament; by giving the Government a vote of no-confidence. It will be sufficient for the Majilis to have a simple majority of deputies' votes compared with the previously required two thirds of votes, in order to dismiss the government
To change, the procedure for forming the and the Central Election Commission. This will occur via the introduction of a law whereby two thirds of the Constitutional Council, the Central Election Commission and Auditing Committee will be formed by Parliament

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
To change the procedure of forming the Government, where the Prime Minister is appointed by the President, so that the approval of such appointments, and consequently that of the entire Government, is delegated to the Majilis
To introduce a change whereby the composition of the Government shall be formed according to the proposals of the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister will also represent the parliamentary majority party

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
To abolish the constitutional prohibition of state funding of NGO's
To develop a procedure for the partial funding of political parties from the state budget
To abolish the death penalty in Kazakhstan
In addition to these proposals the Kazakh parliament passed an additional amendment two days later, lifting the term-limit clause on the first President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, in a move some say paved the way for him to become de facto President for life.