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Kazakhstan may have early parliamentary elections January

Early parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan may be organised in January of next year

ASTANA, November 10 (Itar-Tass) —— Early parliamentary elections in Kazakhstan may be organised in January of next year, if the president dismisses the current parliament, member of Mazhilis’ /parliament’s lower chamber/ finance and budget committee Nurtai Sabilyanov said on Thursday after voicing appeal from a group of deputies /53 of 107/ to the president, which contained a request for dismissing the parliament and having early parliamentary elections.

The deputy’s colleague, secretary of the foreign relations committee, defence and security, Viktor Rogalev, said that “if the president makes such a decision and stops authorities of Mazhilis’ deputies, the senate /upper chamber/ will take over their functions.”

“If the chamber is dismissed, before the deputies get new employment, for three months they will receive monthly allowances equal to their wages.”

Wages of a deputy makes about 600,000 tenge /over 4,000 dollars/ now.

Mazhilis’ exclusive responsibility is to discuss bills presented to the parliament, approve of a prime minister candidature, and to have a vote of confidence.

According to Kazakhstan’s Constitution, Mazhilis consists of 107 deputies, where 98 are elected under universal suffrage from party lists, and nine are elected by the Assembly of People of Kazakhstan. All 98 deputies, elected from party lists, represent the Nur Otan party, which won the elections of August 18, 2007, while other parties failed to gain at least seven percent of votes.

Next parliamentary elections are to be organised no later than two months before expiration of authorities of the present convocation. As the authorities of the present, forth, convocation expire in 2012 as the first session of the new convocation starts working, next elections should be due in summer of 2012.

According to Kazakhstan’s Constitution, the parliament or its lower chamber may be dismissed by the president, who makes a decision of the kind following consultations with chairs of the chambers and with the prime minister. After that, the head of the state appoints early parliamentary elections, which should be organised within two months from the termination of the current parliament’s authorities.

Following changes to the election legislation, mazhilis will not be able to represent only one party. If the party, which is ranked second, fails to get support of at least seven percent voters, it will be able to participate in distribution of deputy mandates.

Kazakhstan’s discussions about the necessity to dismiss the parliament’s mazhilis and to organise early parliamentary elections have been going on since the early presidential election of April 3, 2011. Many politicians claimed the country needed a renewed legislative body, based on a multi-party system

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