6 Sep 2019 12:00

Kazakhstan should retain presidential form of government - Tokayev

NUR-SULTAN. Sept 6 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan should retain the presidential form of government and have an influential parliament, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at the first meeting of the National Council of Public Trust in Nur-Sultan on Friday.

"My formula of power stands for a strong and authoritative president, an influential and capable parliament, and a government accountable to the people. [...] I am sure that Kazakhstan should remain a country with the presidential form of government," Tokayev said.

"The parliament has yet to take a worthy place in the political system," he said.

"It is necessary not just to improve election laws, which will clearly be done, but also to give the parliament a bigger role in making crucial state decisions within the framework of current legislation," Tokayev said.

It is time to develop a multi-party system in Kazakhstan, he said. "It is time to give a boost to political rivalry, to expand the public's real participation in national political life, and to foster a multi-party system," Tokayev said.