Kazakhstan’s new constitution entered into force on 1 July 2026, and on the same day the Constitutional Court in Astana issued a ruling that effectively resets the presidential term count for Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The court stated that any person who held office under the 1995 constitution may be elected or appointed to the same post after the new basic law takes effect, and that such an election or appointment “is considered the first.” The interpretation means that Tokayev’s previous years in power—he has led the country since 2019—do not count against the single seven-year mandate now prescribed, opening a legal path for him to seek re-election when his current term expires in 2029.

The ruling was issued in response to a formal request from Tokayev himself, according to the court’s published documents. The Kazakh government, through the court’s reasoning, argues that the new constitutional order represents a fresh start and that prior service under the old framework cannot be a barrier. Central Asian analysts note that this mechanism mirrors constitutional resets used in other post-Soviet states to extend presidential tenure. Tokayev had previously stated on multiple occasions that he did not intend to “nullify” his term and would leave office in 2029, but the court’s interpretation now provides a legal avenue for him to remain in power until 2036 if re-elected.

The new constitution, drafted in 22 days and approved by referendum in March 2026 with a reported 87.15 percent of the vote, retains the single seven-year term limit introduced after the deadly January 2022 unrest. Tokayev’s current mandate, won in a snap election later that year, was already set to end in 2029 under the amended 1995 constitution. With the reset, he could run again and serve a full seven-year term. The 2026 charter also consolidates presidential authority by replacing the bicameral parliament with a unicameral legislature and reintroducing the post of vice-president, measures that, viewed from Western capitals, appear to reverse earlier pledges of political liberalisation.

Tokayev assumed the presidency in March 2019 following the resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had ruled for nearly three decades. He won elections in 2019 and 2022, the latter after constitutional changes that extended the presidential term from five to seven years and introduced the one-term limit. The new constitution and the court’s interpretation now place the decision on a further term squarely in Tokayev’s hands. No formal reaction has yet been issued by the European Union or the United States, but democracy watchdogs in the region are likely to view the reset as a consolidation of executive power. The next presidential election is scheduled for 2029, and the dossier now turns on whether Tokayev will honour his earlier pledges or seek a new mandate.