Kazakhstan government resigns after election of new lower house

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The Kazakh presidential press service announced in a statement that the government of Kazakhstan, led by Alikhan Smailov, has resigned in connection with the election of a new composition of the lower house of the republic's parliament.

According to the Kazakh constitution, the government resigns when a new lower house of parliament is elected.

On March 19, Kazakhstan voted in snap parliamentary elections that saw new faces on the ballot. The Central Election Commission confirmed that most seats - 62 out of 98 - were taken by the largest party, Amanat.

"In connection with the resignation of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan before the newly elected Majilis of the parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, I order the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan to fulfill its duties until the approval of the new composition of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan," the decree by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev read.

A new system has been introduced for this election, with 69 deputies -– out of the 98 in the Majilis, the lower house of Parliament -– elected by proportional representation.

Tokayev pointed out that the early vote was part of a "modernization" drive introduced after the country witnessed an attempted coup in January last year.

Independent candidates were allowed to run for parliament for the first time in nearly 20 years.

The President promised to reform government institutions and in January dissolved parliament, saying that early polls would "give new impetus to the modernization."

After the attempted coup, Tokayev was re-elected in a snap presidential vote in November, securing a landslide win in the election.

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