Elections in Turkmenistan
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Elections in Turkmenistan gives information on election and election results in Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The Elections in Turkmenistan have been widely critisized for being seeming to be staged and attempting to give an appearance of legitimacy to what is in reality a dictatorship.
On declaration of independence from the Soviet Union, the president was to be elected for a five year term by the people. The current 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 8 more years. In 1999 rubber stamp parliament decided that he will be president for life.
Elections for the legislative
Turkmenistan elects on national level a legislature. The Assembly (Mejlis) has 50 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 legally allowed to hold power. All candidates at the elections of 12 December 1999 (Turnout 98.9%) belonged to this party. Furthermore, the Khalk Maslakhaty (People's Council) which is considered the ultimate representative body, has 65 members. All candidates at the elections of 7 april 2003 (turnout 89.3 %) belonged also to the DPT.