ASTANA – Kazakhstan’s new unicameral legislature, the Kurultai, elected its leadership and heads of eight standing committees during the first session of its first convocation on Aug. 28. Experts say the newly elected leadership reflects political and gender diversity and will face a significant legislative workload from the outset.
Aibek Dadebai, chairman of the Adilet party and former head of the Presidential Administration, was elected Kurultai Chairman. He thanked President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev for nominating him and deputies for supporting his candidacy, describing the position as a “great honor and responsibility.” Adilet deputy and former Senator Nurlan Beknazarov, who represented Shymkent in the Senate from 2018 to 2026 and most recently chaired its Committee on Constitutional Legislation, Judicial System and Law Enforcement, and Ak Zhol party chairwoman and former Mazhilis Deputy Chair Daniya Yesspayeva were elected Deputy Chairs.
Former Commissioner for Children’s Rights Dinara Zakiyeva, who served as a Mazhilis deputy from the Amanat party from 2021 to 2023, became the third Deputy Chair. Political scientist Gaziz Abishev said the composition of the Kurultai’s leadership reflects broad political and gender representation.
“In other words, the composition of the Kurultai’s leadership is diverse with respect to both party affiliation and gender,” he said. In an earlier interview with The Astana Times, Zhandos Aktayev, chairman of the Esti Bol Qory public foundation and Doctor of Law, said the new legislature would face a substantial workload from the outset.
Zhandos Aktayev. Photo credit: Aktayev’s personal archive “Although the Kurultai is a new institution, it will inherit legislation left unfinished by the previous Parliament, giving deputies an immediate and substantial workload,” Aktayev said. Deputies also elected the chairs of the Kurultai’s eight standing committees.
Serik Yegizbayev of the Auyl party was elected to head the Committee on Agrarian Affairs. Askhat Aimagambetov will chair the Committee on Social and Cultural Development, Unzila Shapak the Committee on Constitutional Legislation, Judicial System and Law Enforcement, Olga Perepechina the Committee on Finance and Budget, Amirbek Ospanbekov the Committee on Regional and Infrastructure Development, Marat Kozhayev the Committee on International Relations, Defense and Security, Darkhan Akhmediyev the Committee on Digitalization, Innovation and Science, and Natalia Godunova the Committee on Economic Policy, Energy and Industry.
The standing committees will review draft legislation before the full chamber considers it, making them central to the Kurultai’s legislative work. Seven of the eight committees are headed by deputies from Adilet, the majority party. The new legislature has eight standing committees, compared with seven in the former Mazhilis and six in the Senate.
All 145 deputies took an oath to the people of Kazakhstan during the inaugural session, marking the formal start of the new legislature under the constitutional framework that took effect on July 1.