Who runs local government in Kazakhstan?
Kazakhstan has three levels below the national government: regions and the three big cities, then districts and cities, then rural districts, villages and small towns. At each level an akim (head of the executive) runs things alongside an elected assembly, the maslikhat. Akims at the top are appointed by the President, but since 2021 rural akims have been directly elected, and pilot elections of some district akims began in 2023. A new Constitution in force since 1 July 2026 requires regional akims to win the consent of the local maslikhat.
Republic of Kazakhstan · Unitary presidential republic · Central Asia
The levels of government below the nation
| Level | How it is chosen | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Regions (oblys, 17) and cities of republican significance (Astana, Almaty, Shymkent) | Akim appointed by the President, who must propose at least two candidates for a vote of consent by the maslikhat deputies (2026 Constitution); maslikhat directly elected for five years | Regional budgets, development programmes, health, education and infrastructure. |
| Districts (audan, about 180) and cities of regional significance (about 37) | Akim mostly appointed by the regional akim (direct elections being piloted in some districts since 2023); maslikhat directly elected | Schools, local roads, utilities, social support. |
| Rural districts, villages, settlements and towns of district significance (about 2,400 akim posts) | Akim directly elected by residents since 2021 | Lowest tier of local self-government: local improvements, small budgets, community issues. |
Three questions about local power in Kazakhstan
Are local leaders elected?
Maslikhats at all levels are elected; rural akims are elected directly; some district akims are elected in pilots; regional and big-city akims are appointed by the President with maslikhat consent. Aksakal councils are not elected.
Which laws set up local government?
Akims and maslikhats are in the Constitution (Articles 87–91 of the 2026 text) and the 2001 Law on Local Public Administration and Self-Government. Aksakal councils and clan ties are informal.
Who are local leaders accountable to?
Voters choose maslikhats and rural akims; a maslikhat can pass a vote of no confidence in its akim and propose dismissal; the President can dismiss regional akims at will; higher akims and the Government can annul lower akims' decisions, and courts can annul maslikhat decisions.
Traditional and customary authority
Respect for elders (aksakals, 'white-beards') remains strong. Councils of elders and other informal community gatherings advise akims, mediate family and neighbour disputes and are often consulted by officials, but they have no legal power. Kinship and clan (ru, zhuz) ties still shape networks and careers informally. Religious life is supervised by the state-backed Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, which appoints imams.
Community and neighbourhood power
The 2026 Constitution recognises local self-government exercised directly by residents and through maslikhats and 'other local self-government bodies in local communities'. In practice this includes local community meetings (zhiyn) and gatherings (skhod) where residents discuss budgets and priorities with the akim. Condominium associations manage apartment buildings in cities.
Points to know
- The first direct elections of 730 rural akims took place in 2021; by 2024 the President said about 2,500 akims had been elected.
- In a March 2026 referendum, voters approved a new Constitution (in force 1 July 2026) that also replaced the two-chamber parliament with a single chamber, the Kurultai.
- Under the 2026 Constitution, the President's power to dismiss a maslikhat early requires consulting the Prime Minister and the Kurultai chair.
- Every level of akim is part of a single chain of executive power, so even elected rural akims work within instructions from above.
Local terms
- Akim
- Head of a local executive body (governor or mayor) at any level.
- Maslikhat
- An elected local representative assembly that approves budgets and plans.
- Aksakal
- Literally 'white-beard': a respected elder.
Sources
- Kazakhstan's Constitution of 2026, Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
- Kazakhstan: country profile, OECD–UCLG World Observatory on Subnational Government Finance and Investment (SNG-WOFI), checked 14 October 2026
- Kazakhstan's Constitution of 1995 (rev. 2022), for comparison, Constitute Project, checked 14 October 2026
See also: Kazakhstan's official statistics and leaders · the 10 levels of power.