Political system of Sovereign Kazakhstan

The main law of the state – the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan was adopted on the 30^th of August, 1995 with amendments in 1998. The new Constitution came into force on the 5^th of September, 1995. According to the Constitution the Republic of Kazakhstan is a unitary state with a presidential form of government, which proclaims itself as a democratic, secular, legal and social state. The president of the state is elected for a seven – year term by universal, equal and direct voting. The first president of the Republic Nursultan Nazarbaev was elected in 1991 and since then he has been the head of the state.

The highest representative body that performs legislative functions is the Parliament of the Republic. The Parliament consists of two chambers: the Senate and the Majilis acting on the permanent basis. Two deputies from each region form the Senate and the President of the Republic appoints seven deputies. The Majilis consists of 77 deputies, one – mandate territorial districts elect 67 of them and ten of them are from political parties.

The Government implements the executive power in the country. It is headed by the Prime – Minister, who is appointed by the President with the approval of the Parliament. The Government is responsible for its work to the President and is accountable to the Parliament.

The Supreme Court and the local courts of the state execute the judicial system of the republic. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial body on civil and criminal cases. Control of Constitutional laws is implemented by the Constitutional Council, which consists of 7 members and is elected for a period of 6 years.

Local representative and executive bodies exercise control over regional matters. Local representative bodies (Maslihats) express the will of the population of the corresponding administrative – territorial units. An oblast's administrative government, led by an "Akim" oversees executive power in each of Kazakhstan's regions (oblasts). The oblast Akims are appointed by the President with the assistance from the Prime – Minister's nomination.