IFES Election Guide - Country Profile: Turkmenistan

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Presidential
2012

Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Region: Asia & Pacific

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: Acting President Gurbanguly BERDYMUKHAMMEDOV *
Head of Government: Acting President Gurbanguly BERDYMUKHAMMEDOV
Assembly: Turkmenistan has a unicameral Parliament with 50 seats.

* Acting President Gurbanguly BERDYMUKHAMMEDOV replaces President Saparmurat NIYAZOV, who died unexpectedly on 21 December 2006. BERDYMUKHAMMEDOV will serve as acting president until new elections are organized in February 2007.

Description of electoral system:

The Acting President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
In the Parliament [[uh.1.seats]] members are [[uh.1.electedby]] [[uh.1.election_type]] to serve [[uh.1.term]]-year terms.***

*** However, the highest legislative body is the People's Council (Halk Maslikhaty), a unicameral body with 2,500 delegates.
In the Parliament (Mejlis), 50 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms. The membership is scheduled to increase to 65 seats.
In the unicameral People's Council (Halk Maslikhaty), delegates are either elected by popular vote or appointed. Elected members serve 5-year terms.

** Members of the People's Council are elected either by popular vote or are appointed.