Kazakhstan: In Brussels, Zhandos Shaimardanov Presents Astana’s New Constitutional Architecture
By Kadir Duran – Bruxelles Korner
On July 1, 2026, the date on which Kazakhstan’s new Constitution entered into force, the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Brussels hosted a new edition of the Shanyraq Dialogues, dedicated to a central theme: “The New Constitution of Kazakhstan: A New Chapter for Democratic Governance and Kazakhstan–EU Cooperation.”
The event took place at the Embassy of Kazakhstan on Avenue Van Bever in Uccle, opening with remarks by H.E. Mr. Roman Vassilenko, Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union and NATO.
The keynote speaker was Mr. Zhandos Shaimardanov, Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, an institution closely linked to the strategic thinking of the Kazakh presidency.
In front of an audience composed of Belgian and European political representatives, diplomats, academics, journalists and international relations observers, the discussion provided an opportunity to explain the outlines of Kazakhstan’s new parliamentary structure and the next stages of its institutional transition.
A New Constitution for a New Political Stage
In his opening remarks, Ambassador Roman Vassilenko underlined that July 1, 2026 represents a major political date for Kazakhstan. The new Constitution officially enters into force and, according to him, opens a new phase of political modernization.
This reform aims to build a system of governance that is more accountable, more representative and more oriented toward the future. It also reflects President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s intention to consolidate institutions, strengthen the rule of law and anchor Kazakhstan in a path of gradual modernization.
The Ambassador also highlighted the symbolic importance of the calendar: one week earlier, on June 22 and 23, 2026, President Tokayev had paid an official visit to Brussels. That visit confirmed the growing strength of the partnership between Kazakhstan and the European Union in several strategic areas: transport connectivity, energy security, critical raw materials, digital transformation, higher education, research, innovation and people-to-people contacts.
The diplomatic message was clear: Kazakhstan intends to link its domestic transformation to a strengthened partnership with Europe.
The Quryltai: A New Unicameral Parliament
At the heart of the discussion was the transformation of Kazakhstan’s legislative system. The new Constitution provides for the establishment of a unicameral Parliament, the Quryltai, with elections scheduled for August 2026, before the beginning of its work in September.
This development marks a break with the previous parliamentary architecture. The new model seeks to simplify political representation and make the institutional system more understandable. Members of Parliament will be elected on the basis of party lists, which, according to the explanations given during the debate, should strengthen democratic participation and avoid institutional mandates reserved for specific structures.
Mr. Shaimardanov presented this reform as a step toward political rationalization, but also as a tool designed to increase the accountability of elected representatives before citizens.
The People’s Council: Regional Representation, Civil Society and National Diversity
A significant part of the discussion focused on the role of the People’s Council, which will operate alongside the unicameral Parliament. The question raised was direct: what will be the interaction between this Council and the Quryltai?
According to Mr. Shaimardanov’s explanations, the People’s Council will not constitute a legislative branch in the same way as Parliament. It will, however, have a role of initiative and proposal. Its main mission will be to bring grassroots concerns to the national level, particularly those coming from the regions.
The Council will be based on three pillars: regional representation, participation by NGOs, and representation of ethnocultural associations. This last dimension is particularly important in a country made up of more than 120 ethnic groups.
The objective is to preserve national unity while offering a platform of expression to the different components of Kazakh society. Projects or proposals coming from the Council may be transmitted to Parliament, which will then be required to examine them.
Mr. Shaimardanov also described this Council as an alternative form of participation in public life. Figures who do not sit in Parliament will be able to build legitimacy there, gain visibility and potentially enter conventional political competition at a later stage.
Vice Presidency: An Institutional Innovation Under Close Observation
Another topic addressed was the creation of the office of Vice President. This institutional innovation, rare in Central Asia, raised several questions among participants.
Mr. Shaimardanov explained that the precise role of the Vice President could evolve depending on the country’s priorities and the profile of the person appointed. In an initial version of the constitutional project, the Vice President could represent the President abroad. This wording was later removed in order to allow for a more flexible function, potentially linked to specific projects, whether in domestic or foreign policy.
The order of succession was also clarified: in the event of the President’s incapacity, the Vice President would succeed him. If the Vice President were also unable to serve, the Speaker of the Quryltai would come next, followed by the Prime Minister.
This new institutional hierarchy confirms the political importance of the Vice Presidency in Kazakhstan’s new architecture.
A Reform Welcomed, But Judged by Its Implementation
On the European side, participants welcomed these reforms while emphasizing one essential point: implementation.
European speakers recalled that the value of a constitutional reform is not measured only by its text, but by its concrete effects: political pluralism, respect for the rule of law, transparency, public trust and the consolidation of genuine institutional practices.
Kazakhstan, they stressed, will be judged not only on the design of its new system, but also on its ability to translate these principles into daily governance.
This European caution was not presented as a direct criticism, but rather as a political expectation: the expectation that institutional commitments will be transformed into visible results.
A Constitution Born from a Consultation Process
Mr. Shaimardanov also explained the process that led to the adoption of the new constitutional text.
According to him, the reform began after President Tokayev’s announcement in September 2025 of the transition toward a unicameral Parliament. A working group was then established with the participation of experts, political representatives, academics, members of government and citizens.
More than 2,000 proposals were initially submitted through electronic platforms, around 600 of which directly concerned parliamentary reform. Subsequently, more than 10,000 additional contributions were examined within the framework of an expanded constitutional commission.
The meetings of this commission were reportedly broadcast live, in the interest of transparency. The final text was presented as the result of several stages of consultation, not as a project imposed from outside or prepared in advance.
Mr. Shaimardanov specified that more than 80% of the constitutional text had been amended, which legally justified the adoption of a new Constitution rather than a simple revision.
Kazakhstan and the European Union: A Strategic Convergence
Beyond strictly constitutional questions, the exchanges also focused on relations between Kazakhstan and the European Union.
President Tokayev’s recent visit to Brussels was presented as an important moment. Both sides reaffirmed their willingness to strengthen their partnership within the framework of the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
Among the advances mentioned were connectivity, critical raw materials, aviation, scientific cooperation, investment and mobility. Negotiations on visa facilitation and readmission agreements were also said to have been concluded at negotiators’ level.
The visa issue occupied a particular place in the debate. Mr. Shaimardanov stressed that visa procedures directly influence how Kazakh citizens perceive their international partners. In his view, easing the visa regime could improve the image of the European Union in Kazakhstan and increase human, economic and academic exchanges.
Central Asia Between Regional Cooperation and Institutional Prudence
The discussion then broadened to the future of Central Asia. Mr. Shaimardanov acknowledged that regional cooperation has gained new momentum in recent years, especially since 2022.
He emphasized the importance of the C5 format, which brings together the five Central Asian states, and the gradual inclusion of Azerbaijan in certain regional discussions. This opening is viewed as strategic, particularly because of the role of the South Caucasus in the Middle Corridor.
For Astana, it is still too early to speak of regional integration comparable to that of the European Union. The immediate objective would rather be to institutionalize cooperation mechanisms in order to better monitor decisions already taken and move from the production of ideas to their implementation.
Several unifying priorities were mentioned: human capital development, water management, energy, transport corridors, supply chain resilience and critical raw materials.
The Middle Corridor was presented as a structuring axis of this cooperation. Over time, it could become one of the economic pillars of a more connected, more organized and more visible Central Asia on the international stage.
A Kazakh Diplomacy Seeking Greater Clarity
Through this meeting, Kazakhstan sought to send a double message.
Domestically, Astana wants to show that its constitutional reform is not merely a legal operation, but a political transformation intended to strengthen representation, accountability and institutional resilience.
Externally, the country aims to position itself as a stable, predictable and strategic partner for the European Union in a geopolitical context marked by the war in Ukraine, energy tensions, competition for critical raw materials and the reconfiguration of trade routes between Europe and Asia.
In this perspective, the Shanyraq Dialogues play the role of a bridge. The term “Shanyraq”, which refers to the upper part of the Kazakh yurt and symbolizes home, stability, unity and family prosperity, takes on a diplomatic dimension here: creating a structured yet open space for dialogue between Kazakhstan and its European partners.
Brussels as a Stage for Kazakh Modernization
The presence of political representatives, diplomats, researchers, journalists and European observers gave this meeting a significance that went beyond a purely academic setting.
Kazakhstan wants to convince its partners that its political modernization is real, gradual and compatible with a deeper partnership with Europe. The European Union, for its part, is observing this reform with interest, but also with clear expectations.
July 1, 2026 will therefore remain an important date for Astana. But as several speakers recalled, the true measure of this new Constitution will come in the months and years ahead: during the elections to the Quryltai, in the functioning of the new Parliament, in the effective role of the People’s Council, in the balance between institutions and, above all, in Kazakhstan’s ability to transform institutional reform into lasting democratic practices.
In Brussels, Kazakhstan’s message was clearly stated: internal modernization and European cooperation are now moving forward together.
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