The Kazakh political change in hierarchy of 2007 began on 8 January 2007 when

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...

Daniyal Akhmetov Daniyal Kenjetaiuly Akhmetov ( kk, Даниал Кенжетайұлы Ахметов, ''Daniyal Kenjetaiūly Ahmetov''; born 15 June 1954) is a Kazakh politician who was the 6th Prime Minister of Kazakhstan from 13 June 2003 to 9 January 2007.

unexpectedly resigned and ended with the Senate's confirmation of

Karim Masimov Karim Qazhymqanuly Massimov ( kk, Кәрім Қажымқанұлы Мәсімов, ; born 15 June 1965)President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev ( kk, Нұрсұлтан Әбішұлы Назарбаев, Nūrsūltan Äbişūlı Nazarbaev, ; born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakh politician and military officer who served as the first President of Kazakhstan, in off ...

of his oversight of the economy.

Appointments

Kanat Saudabayev Kanat Bekmyrzauly Saudabayev ( kk, Қанат Бекмырзаұлы Саудабаев, ''Qanat Bekmyrzaūly Saudabaev'') (born 18 July 1946) is a Kazakh politician who served as the State Secretary of Kazakhstan from 2007 to 2012. Prior to that, ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

's ambassador to the United States, became the secretary of the Kazakh Security Council, replacing Marat Tazhin.Saudabayev appointed Kazakh Security Council secretary
Interfax Tazhin became the Foreign Minister, replacing Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.Kazakhstan to remain committed to multifaceted foreign policy - Nazarbayev
Interfax Tokayev became the Chairman of the

Senate of Kazakhstan The Senate of Kazakhstan ( kk, Qazaqstan Parlamentınıñ Senaty, ''Қазақстан Парламентінің Сенаты'') is the upper house of two chambers in Kazakhstan's legislature, known as the Parliament (''Parlamenti''). The Se ...

, replacing

Nurtai Abykayev Nurtai Abykayev ( kk, Нұртай Әбіқайұлы Әбіқаев, translit=Nūrtai Äbıqaiūly Äbıqaev; born 15 May 1947) is a Kazakh politician who was the chairman of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan from August 2010 to Dece ...

. Abykayev became Kazakhstan's ambassador to Russia,New government formed in Kazakhstan
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty a position he previously held from January 2002–2003,
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty replacing Zhanseit Tuymenbayev. Tuymenbayev became the Education and Science Minister, replacing Byrganym Aytimova.Nurtai Abykayev appointed Kazakh Ambassador to Russia
ITAR-TASSPresident of Kazakhstan forming cabinet
,

AzerTaj Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC; az, Azərbaycan Dövlət İnformasiya Agentliyi, shortened as ''AZƏRTAC'') is the official news agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC; Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Dövlət ...

Aytimova became Kazakhstan's ambassador to the United Nations.Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan under the UN delivered credentials to UN Secretary-General
Kazinform

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

appointed Economy Minister Aslan Musin to Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Karim Masimov. Masimov replaced Daniyal Akhmetov as Prime Minister. Akhmetov replaced

Mukhtar Altynbayev Mukhtar Qapashuly Altynbayev ( Kazakh: Мұхтар Қапашұлы Алтынбаев, ''Mūhtar Qapaşūly Altynbaev''; born December 10, 1945 in Karaganda, Kazakh SSR, Soviet Union) served as the Minister of Defense and General of the Army of ...

as Defense Minister. President Nazarbayev demoted Altynbayev to Deputy Minister of Defense.

Galym Orazbakov Galym Izbasaruly Orazbakov ( kk, Ғалым Ізбасарұлы Оразбақов, ''Ğalym Izbasarūly Orazbaqov''; born in 1964)
...

replaced

Vladimir Shkolnik Vladimir Sergeyevich Shkolnik (; born 17 February 1949) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the Minister of Industry and Trade in the Government of Kazakhstan

as the Minister of Industry and Trade. Yerbol Orynbayev, a close aide to Nazarbayev, became Masimov's chief-of-staff.A political shake-up in Kazakhstan strengthens presidential authority
EurasiaNet Shkolnick became the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President.
Embassy of Kazakhstan to the USA and Canada

Effects

Foreign Minister Tazhin said Kazakhstan would continue "to pursue a multi-vector policy governed by the economic and political interests of our country," but Prime Minister Masimov is expected to take Kazakhstan's foreign policy farther in the direction of China based on his past political service and education background. Joanna Lillis of ''EurasiaNet'' has speculated that the shuffle may be tied to Kazakhstan's campaign to chair the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2009. The lingering scandals over the suspicious deaths and trials of opposition leaders Altynbek Sarsenbayev and Zamanbek Nurkadilov had little impact on the shakeup as Interior Minister

Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov Baurzhan Mukhamejanov ( kk, Бауыржан Әлімұлы Мұхамеджанов, ''Bauyrjan Älımūly Mūhamedjanov''; born 26 November 1960) is a Kazakh politician and Doctor of Law who served as Kazakhstan's Ambassador to Georgia from M ...

, who received a considerable amount of criticism, maintained his position.

References

{{reflist Nursultan Nazarbayev Political shakeup Political history of Kazakhstan