Independence: 16 December 1991 (from the Soviet Union)
National holiday: Independence Day, 16 December (1991)
Constitution: adopted 28 January 1993
Legal system: based on civil law system
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Nursultan NAZARBAYEV (since NA April 1990);
Vice President Yerik ASANBAYEV (since 1 December 1991); election last
held 1 December 1991 (next to be held NA 1996); results - Nursultan A.
NAZARBAYEV ran unopposed; note - NAZARBAYEV has extended his term to
the year 2000 by a nationwide referendum held 30 April 1995
head of government: Prime Minister Akezhan KAZHEGELDIN (since 12
October 1994); First Deputy Prime Ministers Nigmatzhan ISINGARIN
(since 12 October 1994) and Vitalia METTE (since March 1995)
cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral
Supreme Council: elections last held 7 March 1994 (next to be held NA
1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (177 total)
Union Peoples' Unity of Kazakhstan 33, Confederation of Trade Unions
of the Republic of Kazakhstan 11, Peoples' Congress of Kazakhstan
Party 9, Socialist Party of Kazakhstan 8, Peasant Union of the
Republic Kazakhstan 4, Social Movement LAD 4, Organization of Veterans
1, Union of Youth of Kazakhstan 1, Democratic Committee for Human
Rights 1, Association of Lawyers of Kazakhstan 1, International Public
Committee "Aral-Asia-Kazakhstan" 1, Congress of Entrepreneurs of
Kazakhstan 1, Deputies of the 12th Supreme Soviet 40, independents 62
note: the Supreme Council disbanded 12 March 1995 following a
Constitutional Court ruling that the March 1994 elections were invalid
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders: People's Unity Party (PUP; was Union of
People's Unity), Kuanysh SULTANOV, chairman; People's Congress of
Kazakhstan (PCK), Olzhas SULEYMENOV, chairman; Socialist Party of
Kazakhstan (SPK; former Communist Party), Yermukhamet YERTYSHBAYEV,
co-chairman; Republican Party (Azat), Kamal ORMANTAYEV, chairman;
Democratic Progress (Russian) Party, Alexandra DOKUCHAYEVA, chairman;
Confederation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Peasant
Union of the Republic Kazakhstan (KPU); Social Movement LAD, V.
MIKHAYLOV, chairman; Union of Youth of Kazakhstan; Democratic
Committee for Human Rights; Association of Lawyers of Kazakhstan;
International Public Committee "Aral-Asia-Kazakhstan"; Congress of
Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan; Deputies of the 12th Supreme Soviet;
People's Cooperative Party, Umirzak SARSENOV, chairman; Organization
of Veterans
Other political or pressure groups: Independent Trade Union Center
(Birlesu; an association of independent trade union and business
associations), Leonid SOLOMIN, president