President of Kazakhstan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Kazakhstan of Republic of Kazakhstan |
|
|---|---|
|
|
| Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan | |
| Style | Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic) |
| Residence | Ak Orda Presidential Palace |
| Appointer | Direct popular vote |
| Term length | Seven years,
non renewable
|
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Kazakhstan (1990) |
| Inaugural holder | Nursultan Nazarbayev |
| Formation | 24 April 1990 (Kazakh SSR) 16 December 1991 (Republic) |
| Deputy | Vice President (until 1996) Chairman of the Senate (from 1996) |
| Salary | ₸7,876,032.18 |
| Website | akorda.kz akorda.kz |
.jpg)
The President of Kazakhstan is the top leader of the country. This person is the head of state and also the commander-in-chief of Kazakhstan's armed forces. The President leads the National Security Council and has important duties outlined in the Constitution of Kazakhstan.
The role of President was created in 1990, before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Nursultan Nazarbayev became the first President. He served for almost 30 years until he stepped down in March 2019. After his resignation, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev became the acting President on March 20, 2019. He was then elected President in June 2019.
The President's official home and workplace is the Akorda Residence. The Constitution gives the President a lot of power over Kazakhstan's plans both inside the country and with other nations. The President chooses important government officials, like the Prime Minister and other ministers. They also play a key part in national safety and foreign relations. The President can declare a state of emergency if needed. They can also issue special orders and make sure laws passed by the parliament are followed.
If the President cannot do their job, the powers are temporarily given to the Chairman of the Senate. This person becomes the acting President until a new President is elected by the people. Presidential elections in Kazakhstan have faced some concerns from international observers. These concerns include issues with voting, treatment of opposing candidates, and limits on media. The President is chosen directly by the people of Kazakhstan for a seven-year term.
Contents
How the President is Chosen
To become President, a person must be a citizen of Kazakhstan and at least 40 years old. They must also speak the Kazakh language perfectly and have lived in Kazakhstan for at least 15 years. The election day is held on the first Sunday of December. It does not happen at the same time as elections for a new Parliament. The Constitution says a President can serve only two terms in a row.
The candidate who gets more than half of the votes from people who voted wins the election. If no one gets enough votes, a second round of voting happens. This second round is between the two candidates who got the most votes in the first round. The candidate who gets more votes in the second round becomes the new President.
Symbols of the President
The President of Kazakhstan has special symbols, including a breast mark and a presidential standard.
Presidential Standard
The President's standard is like the national flag. It is a rectangle with a width twice its height. In the middle of the standard is the emblem of Kazakhstan. It has a golden fringe on three sides.
.svg)
The current presidential standard has been used since 2012. The older standard, used from 1995 to 2012, was a light blue rectangle. It had a golden circle in the middle showing a young Kazakh leader from the Sakas people riding a snow leopard.
Order of the Golden Eagle
The Order of the Golden Eagle (Altyn Qyran Order) is the highest award a civilian can receive in Kazakhstan. The President of Kazakhstan gives this award to people who have done great service for the country. As the head of state, the President automatically receives a special version of this award. This means they are a commander of the order just by being President.
The President in the Constitution
The Constitution says that no one can be elected President more than two times in a row. However, it also states that this rule does not apply to the First President of Kazakhstan.
The Constitution also says that the President's "honor and dignity shall be inviolable." This means they are protected from harm or disrespect. The state pays for the President's expenses. The Constitution also explains the special status of the first President. It mentions a special law that gives the first President full and lasting protection for all actions taken while in office. This law also says the first President remains a government official until their death. They also keep guards, communication, transport, and state support. Their official apartment and summer home become their property. They also receive medical care, special health resorts, pensions, and insurance.
On April 26, 2015, Nursultan Nazarbayev was re-elected for his fifth term. The official ceremony happened at the Palace of Independence in Nur-Sultan on April 29. At the ceremony, the re-elected President promised to continue five important reforms. These reforms were meant to help the country grow and develop.
On January 25, 2017, President Nursultan Nazarbayev started reforms to the Constitution. These changes aimed to share executive powers more with the parliament and ministries. The goal was to make the government more open and work better.
Presidential Administration
The Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan helps the President with their daily duties. It was created on October 20, 1995. It is located at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in the capital city of Nur-Sultan. Before that, it was in Almaty.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and other international groups have commented on past elections. They noted concerns like the closing of media outlets that criticized the government and the jailing of opposition activists. An OSCE spokesperson mentioned a lack of "genuine choice" for voters and "significant restrictions to the freedom of expression."
Kazakhstan's fifth presidential election took place on June 9, 2019. This was the first election since the first President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, resigned.
See also
In Spanish: Presidente de Kazajistán para niños
- List of leaders of Kazakhstan
- Acting President of Kazakhstan
- Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
- Vice President of Kazakhstan
