Mäjilis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mäjilis of the Parliament Parlamenti Mäjilisi Парламенті Мәжілісі
8th convocation
Type
Type	Lower house of the Parliament of Kazakhstan
History
Founded	30 January 1996; 29 years ago (1996-01-30)
Preceded by	Supreme Council
Leadership
Chairman	Erlan Qoşanov, Amanat Since 1 February 2022
Deputy Chairwoman	Dania Espaeva, Aq Jol Since 29 March 2023
Deputy Chairman	Albert Rau [ru], Amanat Since 29 March 2023
Structure
Seats	98
Political groups	Government (62)      Amanat (62) Opposition (36)      Auyl (8)      Respublica (6)      Aq Jol (6)      People's Party (5)      Nationwide Social Democratic Party (4)      Independents (7)
Length of term	5 years
Elections
Voting system	Mixed-member majoritarian representation Closed party-list proportional representation (largest remainder method): 69 seats First-past-the-post: 29 seats
Last election	19 March 2023
Meeting place
Astana, Kazakhstan

The Mäjilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan is like the lower house of the country's main law-making body. It's often called the Mazhilis, which means "Assembly" in the Kazakh language. The Parliament of Kazakhstan has two parts: the Mäjilis and the Senate of Kazakhstan, which is the upper house.

There are 98 members in the Mäjilis. People directly vote for these members. Once elected, they serve for five years.

History of the Mäjilis

The Mäjilis was created after a big vote in 1995. People in Kazakhstan approved a new Constitution of Kazakhstan. This new constitution set up a bicameral Parliament, meaning it has two houses. The Mäjilis became the lower house.

The first elections for the new Parliament happened in December 1995. The new Parliament started its work on January 30, 1996.

Over the years, the Mäjilis has changed. In 2007, the number of seats grew from 77 to 107. Also, a new way of voting was used for 98 of these seats. This new system was based on political parties.

More recently, in 2021 and 2022, there were more changes. Some special seats were removed, and it became easier for smaller parties to win seats. They also brought back voting for individual candidates in certain areas.

How the Mäjilis Works

The Mäjilis has 98 members who are chosen directly by the people. Elections happen every five years, unless a special early election is called.

How Members Are Elected

Members are elected using a mix of two systems:

• Party-list proportional representation: 69 seats are given to political parties based on the percentage of votes they get. A party needs at least 5% of the votes to win seats.
• First-past-the-post: 29 seats are won by individual candidates who get the most votes in their local area.

Since 2021, political parties must include at least 30% women, young people (under 29), and people with disabilities on their election lists.

Leadership in the Mäjilis

The Chairman of the Mäjilis is the main leader of this house. The members of the Mäjilis choose this person. The Chairman's job is to start meetings, call for joint sessions with the Senate, and lead these meetings.

Two Deputy Chairpersons help the Chairman. The Chairman suggests who these deputies should be, and the Mäjilis members vote for them. The deputies help with tasks and can take over if the Chairman is not available.

Who Can Be a Member

To be a member of the Mäjilis, a person must be at least 25 years old. They must also be a citizen of Kazakhstan. They need to have lived in the country for the last ten years.

A member can lose their position if they leave or are removed from the political party they were elected with. They can also lose their position if their political party stops existing.

Committees of the Mäjilis

The Mäjilis has seven special groups called committees. These committees focus on different areas to study issues and prepare laws. They include:

• Committee on Agrarian Issues (about farming and land)
• Committee on Legislation and Judicial and Legal Reform (about laws and courts)
• Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Security (about international relations and safety)
• Committee on Social and Cultural Development (about society and culture)
• Committee on Finance and Budget (about money and spending)
• Committee on Issues of Ecology and Environmental Management (about nature and the environment)
• Committee for Economic Reform and Regional Development (about the economy and different regions)

What the Mäjilis Can Do

The Mäjilis has important powers given by the Constitution of Kazakhstan. These include:

• Looking at and approving new laws, especially constitutional laws.
• Giving permission to the President to choose the Prime Minister. This needs a majority vote from all members.
• Announcing when the next presidential elections will happen.
• The Mäjilis can also vote to show they no longer trust the Government. This needs a majority vote and must be started by at least one-fifth of the members.

Past Mäjilis Terms

Latest Election Results

The most recent election for the Mäjilis was on March 19, 2023. Here are the results:

See also

In Spanish: Mazhilis para niños