Kazakh Parliament Adopts 100 Laws in 2025
Kazakhstan’s Mazhilis adopted 100 laws in 2025, including landmark legislation regulating artificial intelligence, Mazhilis Chairman Yerlan Koshanov said while summing up the parliamentary year on Dec. 29.
According to Koshanov, 24 of the adopted laws were initiated by members of parliament. During the year, lawmakers also completed work on several key national codes, including the Water, Budget, Tax, Construction, and Digital Codes, following extensive parliamentary debates and expert consultations, reported Kazinform. One of the most significant legislative achievements of the year was the adoption of a standalone Law on Artificial Intelligence, positioning Kazakhstan as the second jurisdiction globally, after the European Union, to introduce comprehensive, dedicated AI regulation.
Parliamentary activity in 2025 also focused heavily on social policy. Measures were adopted to combat gambling addiction, including a ban on advertising betting platforms, while forced marriage was given a clear legal qualification. To address the growing threat of telephone fraud, lawmakers introduced criminal liability for so-called “droppers,” imposed limits on the number of SIM cards per individual, and enabled the blocking of fraudulent phone numbers.
Steps were also taken to reduce household debt burdens. Socially vulnerable groups were granted loan and microloan payment deferments of at least three months, and a mandatory cooling-off period was introduced for unsecured online lending.
In the social sector, parliament launched the Keleshek state educational capital system. Gifted children who win international Olympiads are now eligible for grants without competition, including under the Bolashak program. Healthcare reforms included the introduction of a unified healthcare package, the expansion of cancer screening programs, and the provision of free hearing aids for individuals with hearing impairments, regardless of disability status.
Housing legislation was tightened through a ban on preliminary contracts in shared construction, while additional social guarantees were introduced for the families of law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty.
Koshanov also recalled that in his Sept. 8 address to the nation, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed holding a national referendum in 2027 on transitioning Kazakhstan to a unicameral parliamentary system, which would abolish the Senate, the upper chamber of parliament.
Photo credit: mazhilis.parlam.kz
