Elections in 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. The only legal party is the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, though that may change after constitutional reforms enacted on 26 September 2008. Both president and Assembly have a five-year term.

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 in 11 February 2007.

Legislative elections

Turkmenistan elects a legislature on a national level. The Assembly (Mejlis) has 65 members, elected for a five year term in single seat constituencies. Turkmenistan is a single-party state; the only political party, the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, is the only party legally allowed to hold power. All candidates at the elections belonged to this party. All candidates at the elections of 7 April 2003 (which had a turnout of 89.3%) belonged to the...
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