Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan held elections for a new unicameral legislature on 26 March that, like all elections in the country’s history, were considered neither free nor fair and marred by serious violations and fraud. The Central Election Commission claimed turnout of 91.12 per cent, but observers and journalists instead noted largely empty polling stations. Under the new constitutional framework, the rubber-stamp parliament will be largely subservient to the unelected People’s Council, headed by former president Gurbanguly Berdymukhmammedov. Women’s representation in parliament, which stood at 24 per cent in the previous parliament, has not yet been made publicly available.

Elections

Turkmenistan’s upper house of parliament will be transformed into a “higher power” advisory council to be overseen by the country’s former president, Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. Constitutional changes are frequent in Turkmenistan, and the purpose of this one is unclear, but analysts suggest the core motivation involves Berdymukhammedov’s wish to take more official power away from his son, the country’s current president.

Constitution Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov