OSCE supports roundtable discussion on constitutional reform in Kazakhstan

The OSCE Programme Office in Astana supported a roundtable discussion on the draft law “On amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan”, organized by the country’s Constitutional Council and the Charter for Human Rights Public Foundation in Almaty on 18 February 2017.

Some 25 participants, including high-level representatives from the Presidential Administration, the Constitutional Council, the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General’s Office, the Justice Ministry, together with parliamentarians, legal practitioners, academics and representatives of non-governmental organizations discussed proposals on constitutional reform recently initiated by a presidential order. These proposals call for a redistribution of powers between the branches of government.

Participants reviewed the main provisions of the proposed reforms related to enhancing the role of the Parliament and its chambers, a reduction of some presidential powers, and the development of a legal framework for the activities of local administrations and local self-governance. The key findings from a group of civil society representatives on strengthening the constitutional guarantees of citizens’ rights were also presented during the event.

A set of recommendations and proposals developed as a result of the roundtable discussion will be submitted to the working group on the redistribution of powers between government branches.