Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan, has been re-elected with what is reported as '98 percent' of the votes in an election where he has been the sole winner since 2006. The Turkmenistan Electoral Commission stated in a press conference that '97 percent' of eligible voters participated in the election, and Berdymukhamedov managed to defeat eight other competitors. He has held power since 2006 after the death of Saparmurat Niyazov, who was a member of the Central Committee of the Soviet Communist Party and held power from 1990 until his death. While casting his vote in Ashgabat, Berdymukhamedov remarked, 'Whatever the election result, it will determine the situation for the people in the next seven years.' Last month, he signed 'reforms' that removed the age limit for presidential candidates, effectively paving the way for him to hold power indefinitely. The previous age limit was 70 years, and he is now approaching 60. The Turkmen Constitution does not impose any restrictions on multiple candidacies, and the presidential term has been extended from five to seven years. Turkmenistan is the fourth largest country in the world in terms of natural gas reserves, and it is almost entirely dependent on the export of this energy source, with China being its main buyer.
Turkmenistan's President Re-elected with 98% of Votes
Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has been re-elected as President of Turkmenistan with 98% of the votes, continuing his rule since 2006. The election process raises concerns about democratic integrity, especially with recent reforms allowing for indefinite presidential terms. This situation highlights the ongoing authoritarian governance in Turkmenistan.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has been re-elected as President of Turkmenistan with 98% of the votes, continuing his rule since 2006. The election process has been criticized for lacking democratic integrity, especially following recent reforms that allow him to remain in power indefinitely.
- Berdymukhamedov has been in power since 2006, following the death of his predecessor.
- Recent reforms removed the age limit for presidential candidates and extended the presidential term from five to seven years.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Turkmenistan has a history of authoritarian governance since gaining independence from the Soviet Union, with a focus on energy exports as the backbone of its economy.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%