IFES Election Guide - Election Profile for Turkmenistan

Election Profile:

Overview

Results

Of Interest/Links

Sources

Country: Turkmenistan
Official Name: Turkmenistan
Election Type: Presidential
Date: February 11, 2007

At stake in this election:

The office of Acting President of Turkmenistan

Description of government structure:

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

* Gurbanguly BERDYMUHAMMEDOV became acting president following the sudden death of President-for-life Saparmurat NIYAZOV in December 2006.
The president is both the chief of state and head of government.
The president is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term. In 1999, the parliament decided that President Saparmurat NIYAZOV should serve for life.

Description of electoral system:

The Acting President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
In the Parliament (Mejlis) 50 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.***

*** However, the highest legislative body is the People's Council (Halk Maslikhaty), a unicameral body with 2,500 delegates. In the unicameral Parliament (Mejlis), 50 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-seat 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.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

Gurbanguly BERDYMUHAMMEDOV
Party: Acting President
Amanyaz ATADZHYKOV
Party: Parliament deputy and first deputy governor of the Dashoguz region
Ishanguly NURYEV
Party: Deputy Petroleum Industry and Mineral Resources Minister
Mukhammetnazar GURBANOV
Party: Head of the Karabekaul district
Orazmyrad GARADZHAYEV
Party: Head of Abadan city
Ashirniyaz POMANOV
Party: Governor of Turkmenbashi city

Last Presidential election:

The last presidential election was held on June 21, 1992. Saparmurat NIYAZOV was elected president without opposition. He obtained 99.5% of the vote. On 28 December 1999, the People's Council unanimously approved NIYAZOV as president for life.