Campaigning began for 18 August local and parliamentary elections. President Nazarbayev’s daughter Darigha Nazarbayeva dismissed from deputy chairmanship of his Nur Otan party and excluded from party’s electoral candidate list.

President Nazarbayev called early parliamentary elections for 18 August, dissolving lower house 20 June. Opposition Naghyz Ak Zhol and All National Social Democratic parties agreed to merge 23 June; still dwarfed by pro-presidential Nur Otan party. Astana continued to seek extradition of Rakhat Aliyev, ex-minister and now ex-son-in-law of Nazarbayev, from Austria on abduction charges. Aliyev arrested then freed on bail in Vienna; said his signature forged on divorce papers.

Journalist Oralghaysha Omarshanova missing since 30 March after covering Almaty province clashes between ethnic Chechens and Kazakhs.

3 killed in clash between ethnic Kazakh and Chechen youth in Malovodnoye, near Almaty; authorities downplayed ethnic aspect of incident.

State Democracy Commission concluded 11- month work with series of non-binding reform recommendations: President Nazarbayev, chairing final session, ceded minor presidential powers to parliament. Almaty rally held in memory of opposition figure Altynbek Sarsenbayev, calling for new probe into February 2006 killing. Rakhat Aliyev, son-in-law of Nazarbayev, removed from deputy FM post and appointed Ambassador to Austria amid accusations of kidnapping; Aliyev suing over claims.

PM Daniyal Akhmetov resigned 8 January; parliament approved Deputy PM Karim Masimov as successor. Justice Ministry registered opposition Social Democratic Party 25 January.

Presidential party Otan absorbed Civic and Agrarian parties, changing name to Nur-Otan. After merger party claimed 90% of parliament seats. Supreme Court upheld guilty verdicts of 10 men sentenced for February 2006 killing of opposition leader Altynbek Sarsenbayev; his family to appeal, alleging official cover-up. Riots in town of Shelek near Almaty after ethnic Kazakh and Uyghur youth clash. Authorities bulldozed houses in Hindu Hare Krishna commune near Almaty, saying land not registered. OSCE delayed to 2007 decision on Kazakhstan’s bid to chair organisation in 2009.

President Nazarbayev’s power consolidated after Civic Party merged with Nazarbayev’s Otan (Fatherland), country’s largest political grouping, 10 November.

Opposition Aq Zhol party leader Alikhan Baimenov took up party’s sole parliamentary seat, ending 2- year boycott in protest of flaws in 2004 parliamentary elections.

Court upheld 5-year sentence of ‘For a Just Kazakhstan’ movement activist Alibek Zhumabaev for organising “mass disturbance”; opposition said trial political. In Qaraghanda, court upheld 3-year suspended prison sentence of opposition Naghiz Aq-Zhol party co-chairman Bolat Abilov.