Kazakhstan has entered a new political season with a reshaped political system after the country’s newly established unicameral parliament, with its lawmakers gathered for its first session on Friday in Astana. It comes Kazakhstan’s pro-government Adilet party won more than 71 percent of the vote in last Sunday’s parliamentary election, that was triggered by a new constitution adopted earlier this year. The session attended by all 145 members opened with an address by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who formally declared the first session of the first convocation of the Kurultai open and described it as the beginning of an important new stage in the country’s development.
By improving the quality of national legislation, the Kurultai will provide a strong foundation for the country’s legal system,” Tokayev said. Under the Constitution, the government is required to step down before a newly elected Kurultai. Kazakhstan’s government therefore relinquished its powers as the new parliament convened.
However, the country will not be left without a functioning government during the transition period. President Tokayev signed a decree instructing the cabinet to continue performing its duties until a new government is formed. Under Kazakhstan’s new Constitution, which came into force on 1 July 2026, the previous bicameral parliament, consisting of the Mazhilis and the Senate, was replaced by a unicameral parliament called the Kurultai.
The term “kurultai” dates back centuries and historically referred to an assembly or council among the peoples of the Great Steppe. The new Constitution was adopted in a nationwide referendum held on 15 March 2026. Thanks to the nationwide referendum, the country successfully implemented a sweeping constitutional reform,” Tokayev said.
The Kurultai consists of 145 lawmakers elected for five-year terms and representing five political parties. The Adilet party, which absorbed Amanat, the successor to the long-dominant Nur Otan party, holds a commanding majority with 110 seats. It is followed by the Auyl party with 10 seats, Respublica with nine, the Nationwide Social Democratic Party (OSDP) with eight and Ak Zhol with eight.
During the session, President Tokayev nominated Aibek Dadebai for the position of chairman of the Kurultai. Dadebai has headed the Adilet party since 7 May 2026 and has held several senior government and diplomatic posts, including serving as head of the Presidential Administration from February 2024 to May 2026. Tokayev said Dadebai had extensive experience in public administration and described him as an educated, patriotic and responsible citizen.
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