Elections in Turkmenistan

This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The Elections in Turkmenistan have been widely criticized for being completely fraudulent and attempting to give an appearance of legitimacy to what is in reality a dictatorship.[1] Parties in Turkmenistan are the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. Both president and Assembly have a five-year term.[2]

Presidential elections

On declaring independence from the Soviet Union, the president was to be elected for a five-year term by the people. President Saparmurat Niyazov, was elected unopposed on 21 June 1992. In a referendum in January 1994, it was decided that he would be president for eight more years. In 1999, the country's parliament decided that he would be president for life. He died on 21 December 2006. An election to replace him was held on 11 February 2007.

Legislative elections

Turkmenistan elects a legislature on a national level. The Assembly (Mejlis) has 125 members, elected for a five-year term in single seat constituencies. Political parties are the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. All candidates at the elections of 7 April 2003 (which had a turnout of 89.3%) belonged to the DPT. The Khalk Maslakhaty (People's Council) which is considered the ultimate representative body, has more than 2,500 members; it was abolished in late 2008.[3]

Latest elections

2007 Presidential election

 Summary of the 11 February 2007 Turkmenistan presidential Election results
Candidates Votes %
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow 2,357,120 89.23
Amanýaz Atajykow 85,016 3.23
Işanguly Nuryýew 62,830 2.38
Muhammetnazar Gurbanow 62,672 2.37
Orazmyrat Garajaýew 40,821 1.55
Aşyrnyýaz Pomanow 34,733 1.31
Total (turnout 95 %)    
Source: http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/politika/pol&ofic.htm

2004 Assembly election

 Summary of the 19 December 2004 Mejlis of Turkmenistan election results
Party Seats
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan 50
Total (turnout 76.9 %) 50

2007 People's Council election

 Summary of the 9 December 2007 People's Council of Turkmenistan election results
Party Seats
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan 2507
Total (turnout unknown) 2507

Past elections

See also

References

  1. "Turkmenistan's 'sham poll' closes", BBC News, 19 December 2004.
  2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7638102.stm
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2008-09-26.


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