View source for President of Kazakhstan

{{Short description|Head of state of Kazakhstan}}
{{For|the list|List of presidents of Kazakhstan}}
{{Infobox Political post
| post = President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
| native_name = {{collapsible list
  | titlestyle = background:transparent;text-align:center;line-height:normal;font-size;90%
  | title = {{nobold|Native names}}
  | {{Infobox
 | subbox=yes
 | bodystyle=font-size:77%;font-weight:normal;
 | rowclass1 = mergedrow
 | data1 = {{small|{{nowrap|{{lang|kk|Қазақстан Республикасының Президенті, Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Prezidentı}}}}}} {{small|([[Kazakh language|Kazakh]])}}<br/>{{small|{{nowrap|{{lang|ru|Президент Республики Казахстан}}}}}} {{small|([[Russian language|Russian]])}}
}}}}
| body = 
| flag = Flag of the President of Kazakhstan.svg
| flagsize = 125px
| flagcaption = [[#Presidential standard|Presidential standard]]
| flagborder = yes
| image = Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in January 2025 (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| incumbent = [[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev]]
| incumbentsince = 20 March 2019
| type = [[Head of state]]<br />[[Commander in chief]]
| style = [[President (government title)|Mr. President]]<br>{{small|(informal)}}<br>[[Excellency|His Excellency]]<br>{{small|(diplomatic)}}
| residence = [[Ak Orda Presidential Palace]]
| department = [[Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan]]
| succession = 
| appointer = [[Direct election|Direct popular vote]]
| termlength = Seven years, 
| termlength_qualified = non renewable 
| constituting_instrument = [[Constitution of Kazakhstan]] (1990)
| formation = {{start date and age|df=y|1990|4|24}}
| inaugural = [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]]
| website = {{in lang|kk}}<br />[http://akorda.kz/ akorda.kz]<br />{{in lang|en}}<br />[http://akorda.kz/en akorda.kz]
| salary = ₸7,876,032.18<ref name="news.tj">{{cite web|url=https://news.tj/ru/node/187868|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190603224150/https://news.tj/ru/node/187868|url-status=dead|archive-date=2019-06-03|title=Зарплаты президентов – Новости Таджикистана ASIA-Plus|website=news.tj}}</ref><ref name="finhow.ru">{{cite web|url=https://finhow.ru/earn/skolko-zarabatyvaet-putin-i-prezidenty-drugix-stran/|title=Сколько зарабатывает Путин и президенты других стран / FinHow.ru|website=finhow.ru}}</ref>
}}
{{Politics of Kazakhstan}}
The '''president of Kazakhstan''', officially the '''president of the Republic of Kazakhstan'''{{efn|{{langx|kk|Қазақстан Республикасының Президенті|Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Prezidentı}}; {{Langx|ru|Президент Республики Казахстан|translit=Prezident Respubliki Kazakhstan}}}} is the executive [[head of state]] of the [[Kazakhstan]] and the [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan]]. As the highest-ranking official in the country, the president also chairs the [[Security Council of Kazakhstan|National Security Council]] with the powers and responsibilities of the office as outlined in a special section of the [[Constitution of Kazakhstan]].

The office of the president was established in 1990, a year before the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]], with [[Nursultan Nazarbayev]] becoming the first president.<ref>[http://www.kazakhembus.com/index.php?page=kazakhstan-president Kazakhstan President] Embassy of Kazakhstan</ref> Nazarbayev served in office for nearly three decades until his resignation in March 2019. Following his resignation, [[Kassym-Jomart Tokayev]], assumed the acting presidency on 20 March 2019, who was then elected in the [[2019 Kazakh presidential election|June 2019 presidential election]].

The presidential residence is located in [[Akorda Residence]], the official residence and workplace of the president. Under the Constitution, the president holds substantial authority over Kazakhstan's domestic and foreign policies. The president is responsible for appointing key government officials, including the [[Prime Minister of Kazakhstan|prime minister]] and ministers. The president also plays a crucial role in national security and foreign relations, with the authority to declare a [[state of emergency]] if necessary. Additionally, the president can issue decrees and supervise the implementation of laws passed by the parliament.

If the president is unable to fulfill their duties, the powers of the presidency are temporarily transferred to the [[Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan|chairman of the Senate]], who becomes the [[Acting President of Kazakhstan|acting president]] until a new president is directly elected. 

Presidential elections in Kazakhstan have faced criticism, with concerns raised by Western observers regarding ballot tampering, voter fraud, harassment of opposition candidates, and media restrictions.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/11/kazakhstan-president-early-election-nursultan-nazarbayev Kazakhstan's long term president to run in snap election – again], [[The Guardian]], 11 March 2015</ref> The president is elected directly by the people of Kazakhstan for a seven-year term.

== Selection process ==
According to Article 41 of the Constitution, an eligible presidential candidate must be a citizen of Kazakhstan who is at least 40 years old. and has a perfect command of the [[Kazakh language]] and has lived in Kazakhstan for not less than 15 years. The election day shall be held on the first Sunday of December and shall not coincide with the election of a new Parliament. The constitution [[Term limits|limits]] the number of terms a president can serve to two terms in a row.<ref name="constcouncil.kz" />

The candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the votes of the constituents that took part in the election shall be deemed elected. If none of the candidates receives the above number of votes, a second round of elections shall be held between the two candidates who obtained the largest number of votes. The candidate who receives the larger number of votes of the constituents who take part in the second round of elections shall be deemed elected as the new president.<ref name="constcouncil.kz" />

==Symbols==
The president of Kazakhstan's decorations include a breast mark and a [[presidential standard]].

===Presidential standard===
The standard of the president of Kazakhstan is similar to the national flag in that it is rectangular in shape with a ratio of 1:2. In the center of the standard is the [[emblem of Kazakhstan]]. It is bordered on three sides with golden fringe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.akorda.kz/www/www_akorda_kz.nsf/sections?OpenForm&id_doc=FC7399C77EB38504462572340019E71A&lang=ru&L1=L5&L2=L5-38|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081005222420/http://www.akorda.kz/www/www_akorda_kz.nsf/sections?OpenForm&id_doc=FC7399C77EB38504462572340019E71A&lang=ru&L1=L5&L2=L5-38|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 October 2008|title=Официальный сайт Президента РК :: КАЗАХСТАН|date=5 October 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://personal.akorda.kz/ru/category/simvoli_vlasti/113|title=Персональная страница|website=personal.akorda.kz|access-date=2019-03-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601114355/http://personal.akorda.kz/ru/category/simvoli_vlasti/113|archive-date=2019-06-01|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Flag of the President of Kazakhstan (1995–2012).svg|thumb|Presidential Standard (1995–2012)]]

The current presidential standard has been in service as recently as 2012. The former standard, which was used from 1995&ndash;2012, was a light blue rectangle there with a golden circle in which the figure of the young Kazakh leader [[Sakas]] riding a [[snow leopard]].

===Order of the Golden Eagle===
The [[Order of the Golden Eagle]] ({{langx|kk|Алтын Қыран ордені}} or Altyn Qyran Order) is the highest civilian award that can be awarded by the president of Kazakhstan. Its purpose is to recognize outstanding service to the country by Kazakh and foreign citizens. As [[head of state]], the president of Kazakhstan receives the special model of the Order of the Golden Eagle, and is thus a commander of that order ''[[ex officio]]''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Symbols of power|url=http://personal.akorda.kz/en/category/simvoli_vlasti/1273|website=Akorda|access-date=25 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709045400/http://personal.akorda.kz/en/category/simvoli_vlasti/1273|archive-date=9 July 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Awards and orders of the Republic of Kazakhstan|url=http://egov.kz/wps/portal/Content?contentPath=/egovcontent/bus_int_property/culture_/article/nagrada_rk&lang=en|publisher=Government of Kazakhstan|access-date=25 March 2019}}</ref>

==President in the Constitution==
Item 5 of Article 42 of the Constitution determines that no one can be elected president more than two terms in a row, but it also states that "''The present restriction shall not extend on the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.''" <ref name="constcouncil.kz">[http://www.constcouncil.kz/eng/norpb/constrk/ Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020060732/http://www.constcouncil.kz/eng/norpb/constrk/ |date=2007-10-20 }} Constitutional Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan</ref>

Article 46 says that the president's "honor and dignity shall be inviolable" and that his expenses shall be paid by the state. Item 4 of the article outlines the special status and authority of the first president, and refers to a special constitutional act for definitions.<ref name="constcouncil.kz"/>
According to this act, the first president possesses total, absolute and termless immunity for all actions he performs while in office, and that he remains a government official until his death. He also retains the ability to speak to the people of Kazakhstan, keeps guards, communication, transport, and state support of his activity, and that his official apartment and summer residence became his property with official maintenance. He is also provided with medical care, sanatorium, pensions and insurance.

On April 26, 2015, Nursultan Nazarbayev was re-elected for his 5th presidential term.<ref name=prez1>{{cite web|title=Re-elected President Inaugurated, Announces Five Reform Efforts|url=http://www.astanatimes.com/2015/04/re-elected-president-inaugurated-announces-five-reform-efforts/|website=astanatimes.com}}</ref> The official ceremony of the inauguration took place at the Palace of Independence in Nur-Sultan on April 29.<ref name=prez1/> At the inauguration ceremony the re-elected president assured the nation that he would continue the 5 institutional reforms that he had offered earlier, which would contribute to the consistent growth and development of the country.<ref name=prez1/>

On January 25, 2017, President Nursultan Nazarbayev laid the groundwork for reforms to the constitution that would redistribute executive powers to the parliament and ministries for the purpose of more open and efficient governance.<ref name="reforms">{{cite news|title=Kazakh President Unveils Plans of Constitutional Reforms|url=http://astanatimes.com/2017/01/kazakh-president-unveils-plans-of-constitutional-reforms/|publisher=The Astana Times}}</ref>

==Presidential Administration==
[[File:Письмо Президента Республики Казахстан Нурсултана Назарбаева.jpg|thumb|An official document of the presidency.]]
The [[Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan|Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan]] ([[Kazakh language|Kazakh]]: Қазақстан Республикасы Президентінің Әкімшілігі, ''Qazaqstan Respublikasy Prezidentınıñ Äkımşılıgı''; [[Russian language|Russian]]: Администрация Президента Республики Казахстан) reports directly to the president and aids him/her in their everyday dates. It was established in accordance of [[Presidential Decree]] No. 2565 on October 20, 1995. It is currently based at the [[Ak Orda Presidential Palace]] in the capital city of [[Nur-Sultan]]. Prior to that, it was based in [[Almaty]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://egov.kz/cms/ru|title=Электронное правительство Республики Казахстан -|website=egov.kz}}</ref>

The [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]] (OSCE) and other international monitors criticised the election as unfair, with issues noted including the closure of media outlets critical of the government and the jailing of opposition activists.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/kazakhstan/11566168/Kazakh-strongman-says-sorry-for-landslide-election-victory.html|title= Kazakh strongman says sorry for landslide election victory|website=telegraph.co.uk|date=27 April 2015}}</ref> OSCE spokesperson Cornelia Jonker criticised the lack of a "genuine choice" for voters and also argued that there were "significant restrictions to the freedom of expression."<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-27/kazakhstan-president-wins-nursultan-nazarbayev-re-election-97pc/6425952 Kazakhstan president Nursultan Nazarbayev wins re-election with 97.7 per cent of vote], [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC Australia]], 28 April 2015</ref>

The date of [[2019 Kazakh presidential election|Kazakhstan's fifth presidential]] election is June 9, 2019. It is the first election since the resignation of the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.<ref>{{cite web |title=Early presidential election in Kazakhstan set for June 9; President Tokayev pledges fair and transparent vote |url=https://astanatimes.com/2019/04/early-presidential-election-in-kazakhstan-set-for-june-9-president-tokayev-pledges-fair-and-transparent-vote/ |website=The Astana Times}}</ref>

==Presidents of Kazakhstan (1990–present)==
{{Main|List of presidents of Kazakhstan}}

==See also==
* [[List of leaders of Kazakhstan]]
* [[Acting President of Kazakhstan]]
* [[Prime Minister of Kazakhstan]]
* [[Vice President of Kazakhstan]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commonscat|Presidents of Kazakhstan}}
* [http://www.akorda.kz/en/ Official website of Kazakhstan President Tokayev]

{{Kazakhstan topics}}
{{Heads of state and government of Asia}}
{{Heads of state and government of Europe}}

[[Category:Politics of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Government of Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Presidents of Kazakhstan| ]]
[[Category:Presidents by country|Kazakhstan]]
[[Category:Kazakhstan politics-related lists|President]]
[[Category:1990 establishments in the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic]]