Kazakhstan Prime Minister Danial Akhmetov has reportedly resigned, forcing the government to step down.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev has accepted the resignation, a source said.
Under the constitution, the prime minister's resignation triggers the removal of the cabinet.
Kazakhstan, in Central Asia, is rich in oil and gas which it pumps mainly to the West.
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Mr Akhmetov has been Kazakh prime minister since June 2003. Mr Nazarbayev, the country's leader since Soviet times, reappointed him to the post last January.
Parliament, which according to the constitution approves the president's nominee for prime minister, is due hold a plenary sitting on January 10th.