Kassym-Jomart Tokayev proposed the candidacy of Vice President for consideration by the Kurultai deputies. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
Erlan Karin has been proposed for the new position introduced under the new Constitution. 141 deputies voted in favor of Erlan Karin's candidacy, while 4 abstained.
What the Vice President will do
Previously, if the president could not fulfill his duties, his functions were transferred to the Chairman of the Senate. Under the new Constitution, the Senate and Majilis have been dissolved. It is established that the Vice President automatically becomes the acting head of state.
The Vice President is appointed by the President with the consent of the Kurultai. He is prohibited from being a member of a party or holding other positions.
The Vice President of Kazakhstan, on the instructions of the head of state, represents the President in interaction with the Kurultai, the Government, and other state bodies, and also exercises other powers determined by the President.
What is known about Erlan Karin
Erlan Karin was born in 1976 in the village of Aksu, Sairam district, Turkestan region. In 1996, he graduated from the Aktobe State University named after K. Zhubanov with a degree in "History and Geography". He was qualified as a "teacher of history and geography".
In 1999, he completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Philosophy and Political Science of the Kazakh State University named after al-Farabi. He is a Candidate of Political Sciences.
Since 1996, he has been a teacher of geography and history at school No. 33 in Aktobe. Since March 1998, he has been an employee of the Center for Political Studies of the Kazakhstan Development Institute, Deputy Director of the Institute of China and Russia.
Since July 2000, he has been Director of the Central Asian Political Research Agency. Since 2002, he has been an off-staff adviser to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Since 2003, he has been First Deputy Chairman of the Republican Party "Asar", General Director of the International Institute of Modern Politics. Since June 2004, he has been Head of the Center for Anti-Terrorism Programs.
Since May 2006, he has been an adviser to the Akim of Mangystau region on political issues. Since February 2008, he has been Head of the Internal Policy Department of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Since November 2008, he has been Secretary for Strategic Development of the Nur Otan party. Since December 2013, he has been a visiting professor at the American University in Washington (USA).
Since October 2014, he has been Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since February 2017, he has been Chairman of the Board of JSC "RTRK "Kazakhstan".
From April 2019 to July 2020, he was an adviser to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since July 2020, he has been an assistant to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Since January 5, 2022, he has been Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Since June 14, 2022, he has been State Counselor of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
On June 30, 2026, by Decree of the President, he was appointed First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.