Parliament joint session attended by President kicks off in Astana

ASTANA. KAZINFORM Kazakhstan's 6th Parliament Senate and Majilis joint session with the participation of President Nursultan Nazarbayev has started in Astana, Kazinform correspondent reports.

"46 of 47 Senate deputies take part in today's session, and there are 106 of 107 Majilis deputies," Nurlan Nigmatulin, the Chairman of the Majilis, said while opening the session.

The Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan consists of two chambers: the Senate and the Majilis. The Senate consists of 47 deputies as two people elected from each region, the city of the Republican significance, and the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan in a joint meeting of deputies of all representative bodies of the regions, the city of the Republican significance, and the capital of the country respectively. The President appoints 15 deputies, taking into account the need to ensure the representation of the national cultural and other important interests of the society in the Senate. Half of the elected senators are re-elected every three years. The term of office for the Senate deputies is six years.

The Majilis consists of 107 deputies. 98 of the Majilis deputies are elected as per the political parties' lists in the single national constituency based on the universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. In addition, the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan elects 9 Majilis deputies. The term of office for this type is five years.