Kazakhstan will introduce the position of vice president, who will be appointed by the president, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the fifth session of the National Kurultai, held in the southern city of Kyzylorda on Jan. 20.
Tokayev also announced that the country’s planned new unicameral parliament will be called the Kurultai, a term that translates as «gathering» or «assembly.»
New parliament
Under the proposed reforms, the unicameral parliament will consist of 145 deputies. Tokayev emphasized that the name Kurultai reflects historical tradition as well as contemporary political goals.
The current National Kurultai is not a legislative body but a nationwide consultative forum designed to promote dialogue between the government and the public.
The Kurultai’s role
«Both the historical scope and the meaning of the Kurultai are clear and close to our people,» Tokayev said. «I proposed reviving Kurultai sessions in 2022, and at the beginning of this report I addressed the effectiveness and value of its work.»
He added that the name should be retained as the country moves forward with political reforms.
«I believe we should preserve the name ‘Kurultai’ as a symbol of a very important state institution within Kazakhstan’s political system,» the president said.
