Politics of Turkmenistan
Encyclopedia
The politics of Turkmenistan takes place in the framework of a presidential
republic
, whereby the President of Turkmenistan is both head of state
and head of government
. Turkmenistan
has a single-party system
, but has, according to the government, begun a transition towards a multi-party system
.
Turkmenistan is sometimes described as a "reclusive ex-Soviet
nation".
(including 67 years as a union republic), Turkmenistan declared its independence on 27 October 1991.
President for Life
Saparmurat Niyazov
, a former bureaucrat of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
, ruled Turkmenistan from 1985, when he became head of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR
, until his death in 2006. He retained absolute control over the country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
. On 28 December 1999, Niyazov was declared President for Life
of Turkmenistan by the Mejlis (parliament), which itself had taken office only a week earlier in elections that included only candidates hand-picked by President Niyazov; no opposition candidates were allowed.
The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
is the only one legally permitted. Political gatherings are illegal unless government sanctioned.
All citizens are required to carry internal passport
s, noting place of residence—a practice carried over from the Soviet era. Movement into and out of the country, as well as within its borders, is difficult. Turkmenistan is dominated by a pervasive cult of personality
extolling the late president as Türkmenbaşy ("Leader of all Turkmen"), a title he assumed in 1993. His face adorns many everyday objects, from banknotes to bottles of vodka
. The logo of Turkmen national television is his profile. The two books he has written are mandatory readings in schools and public servants are quizzed yearly about their knowledge of their contents. They are also common in shops and homes. Many institutions are named after his mother. All watches and clocks made must bear his portrait printed on the dial-face. A giant 15-meter (50 ft) tall gold-plated statue of him stands on a rotating pedestal in Ashgabat, so it will always face into the sun and shine light onto the city.
A slogan popular in Turkmen propaganda is "Halk! Watan! Türkmenbashi!" ("People! Motherland! Leader!") Niyazov renamed
the days of the week after members of his family and wrote the new Turkmen national anthem/oath himself.
Foreign companies seeking to exploit Turkmenistan's vast natural gas
resources cooperated with Niyazov since he also controlled access to the natural resources. His book, Ruhnama
(or Rukhnama), which is revered in Turkmenistan almost like a holy text, has been translated into 32 languages and distributed for free among major international libraries http://www.tagesspiegel-berlin.de/weltspiegel/nachrichten/personenkult/71702.asp. Niyazov once proclaimed that anyone who reads this book three times will "become more intelligent, will recognise the divine being and will go straight to heaven".
After Niyazov's death, deputy prime minister Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was named acting president, and was elected president in his own right on 11 February 2007 in elections condemned by international observers as fraudulent. On March 20, in a decision of significant symbolical weight in the ongoing rejection of Niyazov's personality cult, he abolished the power of the president to rename any landmarks, institutions, or cities.
Since the death of Saparmurat Niyazov Turkmenistan's leadership made tentative moves to open up the country. Berdimuhamedow repealed some of Niyazov's most idiosyncratic policies, including banning opera and the circus for being "insufficiently Turkmen". In education, his government had increased basic education to 10 years from to nine years, and higher education had been extended from two years to five. He has also increased contacts with the West, which is eager for access to the country's natural gas riches - but fears were mounting that the government would revert to Niyazov's draconian style of rule.
The constitution provides for freedom of the press, but the government does not practice it. The government controls all media outlets. Only two newspapers, Adalat and Galkynysh, are nominally independent, but they were created by presidential decree. Cable TV, which had existed in the late 1980s, was shut down.
Activities of all but the officially recognized Russian Orthodox and Sunni Muslim faiths are severely limited. Religious congregations are required to register with the government, and individual parishes must have at least 500 members to register. Severe measures are directed toward religious sects that have not been able to establish official ties of state recognition, especially Baptists, Pentecostals
, Seventh-day Adventist
s, Hare Krishna
, Jehovah's Witnesses
, and Bahá'ís
. Practitioners of these sects have allegedly been harassed, imprisoned, and/or tortured, according to some outside human rights advocacy groups.
Corruption continues to be pervasive. Power is concentrated in the president; the judiciary is wholly subservient to the regime, with all judges appointed for five-year terms by the president without legislative review. Little has been done to prosecute corrupt officials.
The United Nations General Assembly
recognized and supported Turkmenistan's "status of permanent neutrality" on 11 January 1996.
unanimously passed a resolution adopting a new Constitution. The latter will result in the abolition of the Council and a significant increase in the size of Parliament in December 2008. The Constitution also enables the formation of multiple political parties. Pdt Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has stated that "The new constitution corresponds to all international and democratic norms".
Under the 1992 constitution, the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Niyazov added the post of chairman of the Supreme Soviet
in January 1990, and was elected as the country's first president that October. He was the only candidate in Turkmenistan's first presidential elections in 1992. A 1994 plebiscite extended his term to 2002, and Parliament extended his term indefinitely in 1999.
After the death of Niyazov, Deputy Prime Minister Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow took over, despite the fact that Öwezgeldi Ataýew
, the Chairman of the Parliament of Turkmenistan, would be the next in line in the order of succession (allegedly because the prosecutor-general had initiated investigations against Ataýew). The president appoints the deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers.
A presidential election to replace Niyazov was held on 11 February 2007.
or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Assembly
or Mejlis (50 seats, scheduled to be increased to 65, whose members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms).
Elections: People's Council – last held in April 2003 (next to be held December 2008); Mejlis – last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008). Election results: Mejlis – DPT 100%; seats by party – DPT 50; note – all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
and are preapproved by President Niyazov.
In late 2003 a new law was adopted reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ. The Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution, or announce referendum
s or its elections. Since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government.
was until recently a single-party state
wherein only the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
(Türkmenistanyň Demokratik partiýasynyň) was legally allowed to contest elections. Opposition parties are now legally allowed to form following the adoption of the new Constitution.
There have been political parties and opposition groups in the past—a group named Agzybirlik (Unity) was banned in January 1990. Its members formed the Party for Democratic Development which was itself banned in 1991. This led a coalition for democratic reform named Gengesh (Conference).
The latest opposition party operates in exile and is named The Republican Party of Turkmenistan
(Türkmenistanyň Respublikan partiýasynyň). Since all opposition was banned within Turkmenistan, it was forced to form and operate from abroad.
In November 2009, state media in Turkmenistan published the names of candidates running in the parliamentary election that authorities described as a step toward democracy.
s welayatlar (singular – welayat): Ahal Province
(Aşgabat
), Balkan Province
(Balkanabat
, formerly Nebitdag), Daşoguz Province (formerly Tashauz), Lebap Province
(formerly Charjou Province) (Turkmenabat
, formerly Charjou), Mary Province
Articles on Turkmenistan's foreign policy as a neutral state:
, EAPC
, EBRD
, ECE
, ECO
, ESCAP, FAO
, IBRD
, ICAO
, ICRM
, IDB
, IFC
, IFRCS
, ILO
, IMF
, IMO
, Intelsat
(nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM
(observer), ISO
(correspondent), ITU
, NAM
, OIC, OPCW
, OSCE
, PFP
, UN
, UNCTAD
, UNESCO
, UPU
, WCO
, WFTU
, WHO
, WIPO
, WMO
, WToO
, WTO
(observer)
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
, whereby the President of Turkmenistan is both head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and head of government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
. Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
has a single-party system
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
, but has, according to the government, begun a transition towards a multi-party system
Multi-party system
A multi-party system is a system in which multiple political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition, e.g.The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition in the United Kingdom formed in 2010. The effective number of parties in a multi-party system is normally...
.
Turkmenistan is sometimes described as a "reclusive ex-Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
nation".
Political background
After 69 years as part of the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(including 67 years as a union republic), Turkmenistan declared its independence on 27 October 1991.
President for Life
President for Life
President for Life is a title assumed by some dictators to remove their term limit, in the hope that their authority, legitimacy, and term will never be disputed....
Saparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Niyazov
Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
, a former bureaucrat of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Communist Party of the Soviet Union
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union was the only legal, ruling political party in the Soviet Union and one of the largest communist organizations in the world...
, ruled Turkmenistan from 1985, when he became head of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR
Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR
The Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR was the ruling communist party of the Turkmen SSR, and a part of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. From 1985 it was led by Saparmurat Niyazov, who in 1991 renamed the party to the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, which is no longer a communist party...
, until his death in 2006. He retained absolute control over the country after the dissolution of the Soviet Union
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The dissolution of the Soviet Union was the disintegration of the federal political structures and central government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , resulting in the independence of all fifteen republics of the Soviet Union between March 11, 1990 and December 25, 1991...
. On 28 December 1999, Niyazov was declared President for Life
President for Life
President for Life is a title assumed by some dictators to remove their term limit, in the hope that their authority, legitimacy, and term will never be disputed....
of Turkmenistan by the Mejlis (parliament), which itself had taken office only a week earlier in elections that included only candidates hand-picked by President Niyazov; no opposition candidates were allowed.
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan is the only political party in Turkmenistan. The DPT was led by former Soviet provincial Party leader Saparmurat Niyazov from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s until his death in 2006...
is the only one legally permitted. Political gatherings are illegal unless government sanctioned.
All citizens are required to carry internal passport
Internal passport
An internal passport is an identity document used in some countries to control the internal movement and residence of its people. Countries that currently have internal passports include Russia, Ukraine, China and North Korea...
s, noting place of residence—a practice carried over from the Soviet era. Movement into and out of the country, as well as within its borders, is difficult. Turkmenistan is dominated by a pervasive cult of personality
Cult of personality
A cult of personality arises when an individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods, to create an idealized and heroic public image, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Cults of personality are usually associated with dictatorships...
extolling the late president as Türkmenbaşy ("Leader of all Turkmen"), a title he assumed in 1993. His face adorns many everyday objects, from banknotes to bottles of vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
. The logo of Turkmen national television is his profile. The two books he has written are mandatory readings in schools and public servants are quizzed yearly about their knowledge of their contents. They are also common in shops and homes. Many institutions are named after his mother. All watches and clocks made must bear his portrait printed on the dial-face. A giant 15-meter (50 ft) tall gold-plated statue of him stands on a rotating pedestal in Ashgabat, so it will always face into the sun and shine light onto the city.
A slogan popular in Turkmen propaganda is "Halk! Watan! Türkmenbashi!" ("People! Motherland! Leader!") Niyazov renamed
Renaming of Turkmen months and days of week, 2002
On August 10, 2002, the government of Turkmenistan adopted a law to rename all the months and most of the days of week. The names were chosen according to Turkmen national symbols, as described in Ruhnama, a book written by Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan's first president for life...
the days of the week after members of his family and wrote the new Turkmen national anthem/oath himself.
Foreign companies seeking to exploit Turkmenistan's vast natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
resources cooperated with Niyazov since he also controlled access to the natural resources. His book, Ruhnama
Ruhnama
Ruhnama , is a book written by Saparmurat Niyazov, late President for Life of Turkmenistan, combining spiritual/moral guidance, autobiography and revisionist history, much of it is of dubious or disputed factuality and accuracy. The text includes many stories and poems, including those by Sufi poet...
(or Rukhnama), which is revered in Turkmenistan almost like a holy text, has been translated into 32 languages and distributed for free among major international libraries http://www.tagesspiegel-berlin.de/weltspiegel/nachrichten/personenkult/71702.asp. Niyazov once proclaimed that anyone who reads this book three times will "become more intelligent, will recognise the divine being and will go straight to heaven".
After Niyazov's death, deputy prime minister Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was named acting president, and was elected president in his own right on 11 February 2007 in elections condemned by international observers as fraudulent. On March 20, in a decision of significant symbolical weight in the ongoing rejection of Niyazov's personality cult, he abolished the power of the president to rename any landmarks, institutions, or cities.
Since the death of Saparmurat Niyazov Turkmenistan's leadership made tentative moves to open up the country. Berdimuhamedow repealed some of Niyazov's most idiosyncratic policies, including banning opera and the circus for being "insufficiently Turkmen". In education, his government had increased basic education to 10 years from to nine years, and higher education had been extended from two years to five. He has also increased contacts with the West, which is eager for access to the country's natural gas riches - but fears were mounting that the government would revert to Niyazov's draconian style of rule.
The constitution provides for freedom of the press, but the government does not practice it. The government controls all media outlets. Only two newspapers, Adalat and Galkynysh, are nominally independent, but they were created by presidential decree. Cable TV, which had existed in the late 1980s, was shut down.
Activities of all but the officially recognized Russian Orthodox and Sunni Muslim faiths are severely limited. Religious congregations are required to register with the government, and individual parishes must have at least 500 members to register. Severe measures are directed toward religious sects that have not been able to establish official ties of state recognition, especially Baptists, Pentecostals
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
, Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
s, Hare Krishna
International Society for Krishna Consciousness
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness , known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava religious organization. It was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada...
, Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
, and Bahá'ís
Bahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
. Practitioners of these sects have allegedly been harassed, imprisoned, and/or tortured, according to some outside human rights advocacy groups.
Corruption continues to be pervasive. Power is concentrated in the president; the judiciary is wholly subservient to the regime, with all judges appointed for five-year terms by the president without legislative review. Little has been done to prosecute corrupt officials.
The United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
recognized and supported Turkmenistan's "status of permanent neutrality" on 11 January 1996.
New Constitution in 2008
In September 2008, the People's CouncilPeople's Council of Turkmenistan
The Halk Maslahaty was the highest representative body in Turkmenistan . It was abolished in the new constitution of 2008....
unanimously passed a resolution adopting a new Constitution. The latter will result in the abolition of the Council and a significant increase in the size of Parliament in December 2008. The Constitution also enables the formation of multiple political parties. Pdt Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow has stated that "The new constitution corresponds to all international and democratic norms".
Freedom of association
Formally, according to the Constitution, citizens of Turkmenistan have the right to set up political parties and other public associations, acting within the framework of the Constitution and laws, and public associations and groups of citizens have the right to nominate their candidates in accordance with the election law.First Secretaries of the Turkmen Communist Party
- Ivan Ivanovich MezhlaukIvan MezhlaukIvan Ivanovich Mezhlauk served as the first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR as well as its first President....
(19 November 1924–1926) (acting to 20 February 1925) - Shaymardan Nurimanovich IbragimovShaymardan IbragimovShaymardan Nurimanovich Ibragimov served as the second General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR, serving from 1926 until 1927.He was succeeded as General Secretary by Yakov Popok.-References:...
(June 1926–1927) - Nikolay PaskutskyNikolay PaskutskyNikolay Antonovich Paskutsky served briefly as the third General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR, serving from 1927 until August 1928.-References:...
(1927–1928) - Grigory Naumovich AronshtamGrigory AronshtamGrigory Naumovich Aronshtam served as the fourth General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR, serving from 11 May 1928 until August 1930...
(11 May 1928 – August 1930) - Yakov Abramovich PopokYakov PopokYakov Abramovich Popok served as the fifth General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR.His term began in August 1930, replacing Grigory Aronshtam. He fell ill in early 1937, causing him to resign on 15 April...
(August 1930 – 15 April 1937) - Anna MukhamedovaAnna MukhamedovaAnna Mukhamedova was the Acting General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR immediately following Yakov Popok's resignation due to ill health on 15 April 1937...
(April – October 1937) (acting) - Yakov Abramovich ChubinYakov ChubinYakov Chubin also known as Yakov Shub served as the seventh General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR....
(October 1937 – November 1939) - Mikhail Mikhaylovich FoninMikhail FoninMikhail Fonin served as the eighth General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR.Fonin held this position throughout the German-Soviet War, serving from February 1939 until March 1947. His replacement was Shadzha Batyrov....
(November 1939 – March 1947) - Shadzha Batyrovich BatyrovShadzha BatyrovShadzha Batyrov served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR.His term lasted from March 1947 until 1950, when Balysh Ovezov succeeded him as General Secretary.-References:*...
(March 1947 – July 1951) - Sukhan Babayevich BabayevSukhan BabayevSukhan Babayev served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan from October 1951 until December 1958....
(July 1951 – 14 December 1958) - Dzhuma Durdy KarayevDzhuma Durdy KarayevDzhuma Durdy Karayev was a Turkmen politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR.Karayev came to power on 14 December 1958, succeeding Sukhan Babayev. He served until his death on 4 May 1960. Balysh Ovezov became the next General Secretary.-References:...
(14 December 1958 – 4 May 1960) - Balysh Ovezovich OvezovBalysh OvezovBalysh Ovezovich Ovezov , served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR twice....
(13 June 1960 – 24 December 1969) - Muhammetnazar Gapurowiç Gapurow (24 December 1969 – 21 December 1985)
- Saparmyrat Ataýewiç NyýazowSaparmurat NiyazovSaparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
(21 December 1985 – 16 December 1991)
Chairmen of the Revolutionary Committee
- Kaikhaziz Sardarovich Atabayev (October 1924 – December 1924)
- Nedirbay Aytakov (December 1920 – February 1925)
Chairmen of the Central Executive Committee
- Nedirbay Aytakov (20 February 1925 – 21 July 1937)
- Batyr Atayev (acting) (August 1937 – October 1937)
- Khivali Babayev (October 1937 – 24 July 1938)
Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
- Khivali Babayev (27 July 1938–1941)
- Alla Berdy Berdieyv (1941 – 6 March 1948)
- Akmamed Sariyev (6 March 1948 – 30 March 1959)
- Nurberdy Bairamov (30 March 1959 – 26 March 1963)
- Annamukhamed Klychev (26 March 1963 – 15 December 1978)
- Bally Yazkuliyevich Yazkuliyev (15 December 1978 – 13 August 1988)
- Roza Atamuradovna Bazarova (13 August 1988 – 19 January 1990)
- Manukhmaned Basku Salloumenichov (19 January 1990 – 21 January 1990)
- Alekhmangulabad Alizhkhamedievich Khadivmindechov (21 January 1990 early afternoon – 21 January 1990 evening)
Chairman of the Supreme Soviet
- Saparmurat Atayevich Niyazov (19 January 1990 – 2 November 1990)
Presidents
- Saparmyrat Ataýewiç NyýazowSaparmurat NiyazovSaparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
(2 November 1990 – 21 December 2006) (from 22 October 1993 Türkmenbaşy) - Gurbanguly Mälikguliýewiç Berdimuhamedow (21 December 2006 – present) (acting until 14 February 2007)
Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars
- Kaikhaziz Sardarovich Atabayev (20 February 1925 – 8 July 1937)
- Aitbay Khudaybergenov (October 1937 – 17 October 1945)
- Sukhan Babayevich BabayevSukhan BabayevSukhan Babayev served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan from October 1951 until December 1958....
(17 October 1945 – 15 March 1946)
Chairmen of the Council of Ministers
- Sukhan Babayevich BabayevSukhan BabayevSukhan Babayev served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan from October 1951 until December 1958....
(15 March 1946 – 14 July 1951) - Balysh Ovezovich OvezovBalysh OvezovBalysh Ovezovich Ovezov , served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR twice....
(14 July 1951 – 14 January 1958) (first time) - Dzhuma Durdy KarayevDzhuma Durdy KarayevDzhuma Durdy Karayev was a Turkmen politician who served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR.Karayev came to power on 14 December 1958, succeeding Sukhan Babayev. He served until his death on 4 May 1960. Balysh Ovezov became the next General Secretary.-References:...
(14 January 1958 – 20 January 1959) - Balysh Ovezovich OvezovBalysh OvezovBalysh Ovezovich Ovezov , served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Turkmen SSR twice....
(20 January 1959 – 13 June 1960) (second time) - Abdy Annaliyevich Annaliyev (13 June 1960 – 26 March 1963)
- Muhammetnazar Gapurowiç Gapurow (26 March 1963 – 25 December 1969)
- Oraz Nazarowiç Orazmuhammedow (25 December 1969 – 17 December 1975)
- Bally Yazkuliyevich Yazkuliyev (17 December 1975 – 15 December 1978)
- Chary Soyunovich Karriyev (15 December 1978 – 26 March 1985)
- Saparmyrat Ataýewiç NyýazowSaparmurat NiyazovSaparmurat Atayevich Niyazov; , was a Turkmen politician who served as President of Turkmenistan from 2 November 1990 until his death in 2006...
(26 March 1985 – 4 January 1986) - Annamurat Hojamyradowiç Hojamyradow (4 January 1986 – 17 November 1989)
- Han Ahmedowiç AhmedowHan AhmedowHan Ahmedowiç Ahmedow was Prime Minister of Turkmenistan from December 1989 to May 1992. During his time in office, Turkmenistan became an independent country when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Afterwards, Ahmedow became Railways Minister and then ambassador to Turkey...
(5 December 1989 – 18 May 1992)
Under the 1992 constitution, the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Niyazov added the post of chairman of the Supreme Soviet
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was the Supreme Soviet in the Soviet Union and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments...
in January 1990, and was elected as the country's first president that October. He was the only candidate in Turkmenistan's first presidential elections in 1992. A 1994 plebiscite extended his term to 2002, and Parliament extended his term indefinitely in 1999.
After the death of Niyazov, Deputy Prime Minister Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow took over, despite the fact that Öwezgeldi Ataýew
Öwezgeldi Ataýew
Öwezgeldi Ataýew is the former Chairman of the Assembly of Turkmenistan. According to the Constitution of Turkmenistan, he was to become the acting president after the death of Saparmurat Niyazov...
, the Chairman of the Parliament of Turkmenistan, would be the next in line in the order of succession (allegedly because the prosecutor-general had initiated investigations against Ataýew). The president appoints the deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers.
A presidential election to replace Niyazov was held on 11 February 2007.
Legislative branch
Under the 1992 constitution, there are two parliamentary bodies, a unicameral People's CouncilPeople's Council of Turkmenistan
The Halk Maslahaty was the highest representative body in Turkmenistan . It was abolished in the new constitution of 2008....
or Halk Maslahaty (supreme legislative body of up to 2,500 delegates, some of whom are elected by popular vote and some of whom are appointed; meets at least yearly) and a unicameral Assembly
Assembly of Turkmenistan
The Assembly is the legislative branch of Turkmenistan. It has 125 members, elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies.- History :Originally, it shared power with the People's Council....
or Mejlis (50 seats, scheduled to be increased to 65, whose members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms).
Elections: People's Council – last held in April 2003 (next to be held December 2008); Mejlis – last held 19 December 2004 (next to be held December 2008). Election results: Mejlis – DPT 100%; seats by party – DPT 50; note – all 50 elected officials are members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan is the only political party in Turkmenistan. The DPT was led by former Soviet provincial Party leader Saparmurat Niyazov from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s until his death in 2006...
and are preapproved by President Niyazov.
In late 2003 a new law was adopted reducing the powers of the Mejlis and making the Halk Maslahaty the supreme legislative organ. The Halk Maslahaty can now legally dissolve the Mejlis, and the president is now able to participate in the Mejlis as its supreme leader; the Mejlis can no longer adopt or amend the constitution, or announce referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
s or its elections. Since the president is both the "Chairman for Life" of the Halk Maslahaty and the supreme leader of the Mejlis, the 2003 law has the effect of making him the sole authority of both the executive and legislative branches of government.
Political parties and elections
TurkmenistanTurkmenistan
Turkmenistan , formerly also known as Turkmenia is one of the Turkic states in Central Asia. Until 1991, it was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic . Turkmenistan is one of the six independent Turkic states...
was until recently a single-party state
Single-party state
A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of party system government in which a single political party forms the government and no other parties are permitted to run candidates for election...
wherein only the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan
The Democratic Party of Turkmenistan is the only political party in Turkmenistan. The DPT was led by former Soviet provincial Party leader Saparmurat Niyazov from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s until his death in 2006...
(Türkmenistanyň Demokratik partiýasynyň) was legally allowed to contest elections. Opposition parties are now legally allowed to form following the adoption of the new Constitution.
There have been political parties and opposition groups in the past—a group named Agzybirlik (Unity) was banned in January 1990. Its members formed the Party for Democratic Development which was itself banned in 1991. This led a coalition for democratic reform named Gengesh (Conference).
The latest opposition party operates in exile and is named The Republican Party of Turkmenistan
Republican Party of Turkmenistan
The Republican Party of Turkmenistan is one of several dissident political parties that have been outlawed within Turkmenistan. Leaders of the exile-based RPT include Nurmuhammet Hanamow who went into exile in 2002 and Annadurdy Hajyýew, whose sister Ogulsapar Myradowa died in a Turkmen prison in...
(Türkmenistanyň Respublikan partiýasynyň). Since all opposition was banned within Turkmenistan, it was forced to form and operate from abroad.
In November 2009, state media in Turkmenistan published the names of candidates running in the parliamentary election that authorities described as a step toward democracy.
Administrative divisions
Turkmenistan is divided into five provinceProvince
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
s welayatlar (singular – welayat): Ahal Province
Ahal Province
Ahal Province is one of the welayat of Turkmenistan. It is in the south-center of the country, bordering Iran and Afghanistan along the Kopet Dag Range. Its area is and population 939,700...
(Aşgabat
Asgabat
Ashgabat or formerly Poltoratsk between 1919–1927) is the capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, a country in Central Asia. It has a population of 695,300 , 2009 estimates around 1 million people in Ashgabat, and is situated between the Kara Kum desert and the Kopet Dag mountain range...
), Balkan Province
Balkan Province
Balkan Province is one of the Welayat of Turkmenistan. It is in the far west of the country, bordering Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, and Iran. Its capital is Balkanabat, formerly known as Nebit Dag. It has an area of 139,270 square kilometers and a population of approximately 553,500...
(Balkanabat
Balkanabat
Balkanabat , formerly Nebit Dag, is a city in western Turkmenistan, and the capital of Balkan Province. It is located at , at an altitude of 17 meters, some 400 kilometers from Ashgabat. As of 2006, the city had an estimated population of 87,822. Balkanabat lies at the foot of the Balkan...
, formerly Nebitdag), Daşoguz Province (formerly Tashauz), Lebap Province
Lebap Province
Lebap Province is one of the provinces of Turkmenistan. It is in the northeast of the country, bordering Uzbekistan along the Amu Darya. Its capital is Türkmenabat...
(formerly Charjou Province) (Turkmenabat
Türkmenabat
Türkmenabat , formerly and since the medieval times, Chardzhou , also spelled Çärjew, Chardjui, Charjou, Chardzhev, Charjev, Chärjew, or Charjew , ancient Amul, is a town in Turkmenistan, capital of Lebap Province...
, formerly Charjou), Mary Province
Mary Province
Mary Province is one of the welayatlar of Turkmenistan. It is in the south-east of the country, bordering Afghanistan. Its capital is the city of Mary. Its area is and population 1,480,400...
Foreign policy
Foreign policy of Turkmenistan is based on the status of permanent positive neutrality recognized by the UN General Assembly Resolution on Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan on 12 December 1995.Articles on Turkmenistan's foreign policy as a neutral state:
- Regional Strategy of Ashgabat
- Neutral Factor of Turkmenistan
- The World Recognized Turkmenistan's Neutrality 9 Years Ago
International organization participation
Turkmenistan is affiliated to the CISCommonwealth of Independent States
The Commonwealth of Independent States is a regional organization whose participating countries are former Soviet Republics, formed during the breakup of the Soviet Union....
, EAPC
Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council
The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council , a NATO institution, is a multilateral forum created to improve relations between NATO and non-NATO countries in Europe and those parts of Asia on the European periphery. The member states meet to cooperate and consult on a range of political and security issues...
, EBRD
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Founded in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development uses the tools of investment to help build market economies and democracies in 30 countries from central Europe to central Asia. Its mission was to support the formerly communist countries in the process of establishing their...
, ECE
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe was established in 1947 to encourage economic cooperation among its member states. It is one of five regional commissions under the administrative direction of United Nations headquarters. It has 56 member states, and reports to the UN Economic and...
, ECO
Economic Cooperation Organization
The Economic Cooperation Organization is an intergovernmental organization involving seven Asian and three Eurasian nations, part of the South-central Asian Union. It provides a platform to discuss ways to improve development and promote trade, and investment opportunities. The ECO is an ad hoc...
, ESCAP, FAO
Food and Agriculture Organization
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and...
, IBRD
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development is one of five institutions that compose the World Bank Group. The IBRD is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by World War II. Now, its mission has expanded to fight...
, ICAO
International Civil Aviation Organization
The International Civil Aviation Organization , pronounced , , is a specialized agency of the United Nations. It codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth...
, ICRM
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
, IDB
Islamic Development Bank
The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference , convened 23 Dhu'l Qa'dah 1393 AH.The bank officially began its activities on...
, IFC
International Finance Corporation
The International Finance Corporation promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries.IFC is a member of the World Bank Group and is headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States....
, IFRCS
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide which was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human...
, ILO
International Labour Organization
The International Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that deals with labour issues pertaining to international labour standards. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland. Its secretariat — the people who are employed by it throughout the world — is known as the...
, IMF
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
, IMO
International Maritime Organization
The International Maritime Organization , formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization , was established in Geneva in 1948, and came into force ten years later, meeting for the first time in 1959...
, Intelsat
Intelsat
Intelsat, Ltd. is a communications satellite services provider.Originally formed as International Telecommunications Satellite Organization , it was—from 1964 to 2001—an intergovernmental consortium owning and managing a constellation of communications satellites providing international broadcast...
(nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM
International Organization for Migration
The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. It was initially established in 1951 as the Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration to help resettle people displaced by World War II....
(observer), ISO
International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization , widely known as ISO, is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from various national standards organizations. Founded on February 23, 1947, the organization promulgates worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial...
(correspondent), ITU
International Telecommunication Union
The International Telecommunication Union is the specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for information and communication technologies...
, NAM
Non-Aligned Movement
The Non-Aligned Movement is a group of states considering themselves not aligned formally with or against any major power bloc. As of 2011, the movement had 120 members and 17 observer countries...
, OIC, OPCW
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is an intergovernmental organization, located in The Hague, Netherlands. The organization promotes and verifies the adherence to the Chemical Weapons Convention which prohibits of the use of chemical weapons and requires their destruction...
, OSCE
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
, PFP
Partnership for Peace
Partnership for Peace is a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation program aimed at creating trust between NATO and other states in Europe and the former Soviet Union; 22 States are members...
, UN
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, UNCTAD
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body. It is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment, and development issues....
, UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, UPU
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
, WCO
World Customs Organization
The World Customs Organization is an intergovernmental organization headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. With its worldwide membership, the WCO is recognized as the voice of the global customs community...
, WFTU
World Federation of Trade Unions
The World Federation of Trade Unions was established in 1945 to replace the International Federation of Trade Unions. Its mission was to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations...
, WHO
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, WIPO
World Intellectual Property Organization
The World Intellectual Property Organization is one of the 17 specialized agencies of the United Nations. WIPO was created in 1967 "to encourage creative activity, to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world"....
, WMO
World Meteorological Organization
The World Meteorological Organization is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 189 Member States and Territories. It originated from the International Meteorological Organization , which was founded in 1873...
, WToO
World Tourism Organization
The World Tourism Organization , based in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. It compiles the World Tourism rankings. The World Tourism Organization is a significant global body, concerned with the collection and collation of statistical information...
, WTO
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
(observer)