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

Prime Minister of Kazakhstan

-Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars:*Viktor Radus-Zenkovich *Mukhamedkhafiy Murzagaliyev *Saken Seyfullin *Nygmet Nurmakov...

 Daniyal Akhmetov

Daniyal Akhmetov

Daniyal Kenzhetayuly Akhmetov has served as the Minister of Defense and Gm/fr/neeneral of the Army of Kazakhstan since Prime Minister Karim Massimov appointed him on 10 January 2007. He previously served as Prime Minister from 13 June 2003 to 9 January 2007...

 unexpectedly resigned and ended with the Senate

Senate of Kazakhstan

The Senate of Kazakhastan is the upper house of two chambers in Kazakhstan's legislature, known as the Parliament . The Senate has 47 members, 40 of whom are elected for six-year terms in double-seat constituencies by the local assemblies, half renewed every two years; and 7 presidential...

's confirmation of Karim Masimov as his replacement on 11 January. Akhmetov did not say why he resigned, but political analysts noted increasing criticism from President

President of Kazakhstan

President of Kazakhstan is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Kazakhstan. The authorities of this position are described in special section of Constitution of Kazakhstan....

 Nursultan Nazarbayev

Nursultan Nazarbayev

Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union...

 of his oversight of the economy

Economy of Kazakhstan

The economy of Kazakhstan is the largest economy in Central Asia. It possesses enormous fossil fuel reserves as well as minerals and metals. It also has considerable agricultural potential with its vast steppe lands accommodating both livestock and grain production, as well as developed space...

.

Appointments

Kanat Saudabayev

Kanat Saudabayev

Kanat Bekmyrzayevich Saudabayev is a Kazakhstani politician who was born next to Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan in 1946. Saudabayev has served as the Secretary of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan since 15 May 2007...

, Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...

's ambassador

Ambassador

An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....

 to the United States, became the secretary of the Kazakh Security Council, replacing Marat Tazhin

Marat Tazhin

Marat Muhanbetuly Tazhin is a Kazakh politician. He served as the Foreign Minister in the Government of Kazakhstan from 2007 to 2009. He previously served as Secretary of the National Security Committee...

. Tazhin became the Foreign Minister

Foreign minister

A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...

, replacing Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Tokayev became the Chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan

Senate of Kazakhstan

The Senate of Kazakhastan is the upper house of two chambers in Kazakhstan's legislature, known as the Parliament . The Senate has 47 members, 40 of whom are elected for six-year terms in double-seat constituencies by the local assemblies, half renewed every two years; and 7 presidential...

, replacing Nurtai Abykayev

Nurtai Abykayev

Nurtai Abykayevich Abykayev is the current Chairman of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan. Previously he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation and before this chairman of the Senate of Kazakhstan...

. Abykayev became Kazakhstan's ambassador to Russia, a position he previously held from January 2002–2003, replacing Zhanseit Tuymenbayev

Zhanseit Tuymenbayev

Zhanseit Tuymenbayev has served as the Education and Science Minister in the Government of Kazakhstan since he replaced Byrganym Aytimova on 10 January 2007 in a political shakeup.-References:...

. Tuymenbayev became the Education and Science Minister, replacing Byrganym Aytimova

Byrganym Aytimova

Byrganym Sariyevna Aitimova has served as the ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United Nations since her appointment in February 2007. She served as the Minister of Education and Science until Zhanseit Tuymenbayev replaced her on 10 January 2007. She previously served as Kazakhstan's ambassador to...

. Aytimova became Kazakhstan's ambassador to the United Nations.

President

President of Kazakhstan

President of Kazakhstan is the head of state, supreme commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Kazakhstan. The authorities of this position are described in special section of Constitution of Kazakhstan....

 Nursultan Nazarbayev

Nursultan Nazarbayev

Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev has served as the President of Kazakhstan since the nation received its independence in 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union...

 appointed Economy Minister Aslan Musin

Aslan Musin

Aslan Mussin is the former Speaker of Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan. He has served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan since 10 January 2007. He previously served as Minister of Economy and Budget Planning of Kazakhstan from 4 October 2006 to 9 January 2007. Prior to that he...

 to Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Karim Masimov. Masimov replaced Daniyal Akhmetov as Prime Minister. Akhmetov replaced Mukhtar Altynbayev

Mukhtar Altynbayev

Mukhtar Qapashuly Altynbayev served as the Minister of Defense and General of the Army of Kazakhstan twice, most recently from December 2001 to 10 January 2007. Prime Minister Karim Massimov replaced him with former Prime Minister Daniyal Akhmetov in a political shakeup...

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

Galym Orazbakov

Galym Izbasaruly Orazbakov has served as the Minister of Industry and Trade in the Government of Kazakhstan since he replaced Vladimir Shkolnik on 10 January 2007 in a political shakeup....

 replaced Vladimir Shkolnik

Vladimir Shkolnik

Vladimir Sergeyevich Shkolnik , born 17 February 1949 in Serpukhov, Russia, served as the Minister of Industry and Trade in the Government of Kazakhstan until Galym Orazbakov replaced him on 10 January 2007 in a political shakeup...

 as the Minister of Industry and Trade. Yerbol Orynbayev, a close aide to Nazarbayev, became Masimov's chief-of-staff. Shkolnick became the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President.

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

Zamanbek Nurkadilov

Zamanbek Nurkadilov served as the Mayor of Almaty in Kazakhstan and Minister of Emergency Situations in the Nazarbayev administration. In March 2004 he began to strongly criticize President Nazarbayev. On 11 November 2005, three weeks before the 2005 presidential election, someone shot him twice...

 had little impact on the shakeup as Interior Minister Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov

Baurzhan Mukhamedzhanov

Baurzhan Alimuly Mukhamedzhanov serves as the Interior Minister in the Government of Kazakhstan.Minister Mukhamedzhanov announced on 20 February 2006 that six suspects had been arrested for kidnapping and murdering Altynbek Sarsenbayev, the then co-chairman of the Naghyz Ak Zhol opposition...

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