Kazakhstan’s members of parliament have invalidated the law On the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Elbasy (the leader of the nation) at a joint meeting of the two chambers on Friday.
The legislators overwhelmingly voted to recognize the law on the status and powers of first Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev as no longer valid.
On June 5, 2022, Kazakhstan held a referendum on constitutional amendments, which particularly deleted an article on Nazarbayev’s status and powers, as well as a provision on his irreversible status as the nation’s leader. Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court ruled on January 10 that the law On the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Elbasy should be recognized as no longer valid.
The law regulated the status and privileges of Nazarbayev and his family members. Nazarbayev was granted the right to address the nation, parliament and government meetings. Under the law, the first president enjoyed immunity. Following the abolition of the law, Nazarbayev’s powers will be regulated by the Constitution and the law on the President of Kazakhstan, which includes chapters concerning the country’s former leaders. Meanwhile, the privileges of the first president’s family members will be revoked.
