2021 Turkmen People's Council election

People's Council elections were held in Turkmenistan on 28 March 2021 to elect 48 of the 56 members of the People's Council or Halk Maslahaty. Another eight were appointed by the president on 14 April 2021.

Politics of Turkmenistan

Background

No election held since the country's independence from the Soviet Union has been judged to be free or fair, and international media often refer to Turkmenistan as an autocracy with a rubber-stamp parliament.[1][2]

Following constitutional amendments in September 2020, the unicameral 125-seat Assembly was replaced by the bicameral National Council (Milli Geňeş) with the Assembly (Mejlis) becoming the lower house and the 56-seat People's Council (Halk Maslahaty) becoming the upper house.[3][4] Foreign policy analysts linked the changes with President Berdimuhamedow smoothening avenues for an upcoming transfer of power to his son.[2]

Electoral system

Councils of the five provinces (welaýat) and the capital city (şäher) nominated eight members each, while the remaining eight members were to be appointed by the president.[4] To be nominated as a member, one had to be a citizen of Turkmenistan above 30 years of age with a minimum educational qualification of graduation and have permanent residence status for the previous ten years, with no active criminal proceedings.[4][lower-alpha 1]

The 15-member Central Election Commission—established in 2019 by a presidential decree as an "independent organ of the state"—was tasked with overseeing the entire process, with aid from provincial election commissions.[5]

Candidates

Nominations ran from 6 February to 2 March.[5][lower-alpha 2] 112 candidates—21 from Ahal province, 21 from Balkan province, 18 from Dashoguz province, 18 from Lebap province, 17 from Mary Province, and 17 from Ashgabat—entered the race.[5] 83 were men and 29 women.[5]

Biographic sketches of all candidates were broadcast in Turkmen mass media by the first week of March.[5][7][lower-alpha 3] Most were civil servants.[10] Campaigning was permitted until 26 March.[5]

Conduct

Each province (and the capital) was assigned a single voting center.[5] Polling was open from 09:00[lower-alpha 4] to 23:00 on 28 March; the entrance area was livestreamed on the website of the Election Commission for the entire duration.[5][12]

Candidates were styled as "Family name, First name, Patronymic"[lower-alpha 5], and sorted alphabetically in the ballot; age, occupation, place of residence, and place of work were also mentioned.[5] Out of the 231 councillors, who registered as voters, 228 took part.[5][lower-alpha 6]

Observers

The Election Commission claimed to have appointed 440 observers—420 from the six approved political parties, 20 from civil society organizations, and 20 candidate-proxies—for "increasing transparency" of the election.[5][2] Foreign observers were not allowed.[5]

Results

Ballots were counted, and results declared the next morning.[5] The following candidates were elected:[5][lower-alpha 7]

Successful candidates in the 2021 Turkmen People's Council election
Ahal Province Balkan Province Dasoguz Province Lebap Province Mary Province Ashgabat City
Enejan Ataýewa[lower-alpha 8] Annatagan Amanow Ýazdurdy Altybaýew Ahmed Bekiýew Orazdurdy Abdyýew Mähri Bäşimowa[lower-alpha 8]
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Araz Arazow Ýazmämmet Ataýew Begenç Çaryýew Maksat Atajanow Nazar Çöliýew
Döwletgeldi Çaryýew Maral Ataklyçewa[lower-alpha 8] Babajyk Babajykow Babamurat Halow Gurbanmyrat Ataýew Muhammetnazar Geldiýew
Ogulmaral Hojaýewa[lower-alpha 8] Döwletgeldi Gazakow Amangylyç Golbaýew Bähbit Pigamow Batyr Gylyçdurdyýew Jeýhun Igdirow
Seýdi Jumaýew Wepaberdi Goýunlyýew Ýeňiş Haýytjanow Gülnaz Rejepowa[lower-alpha 8] Halymberdi Hajyýew Bazar Muhammetgulyýew
Hydyrmuhammet Orazmämmedow Süleýman Gylyçjanow Abdulla Kakaýew Umida Saparowa[lower-alpha 8] Ogulgerek Hydyrowa[lower-alpha 8] Baýramgözel Myradowa[lower-alpha 8]
Aýgözel Öwezowa[lower-alpha 8] Äşe Hanalyýewa[lower-alpha 8] Atageldi Musaýew Bahar Seýidowa[lower-alpha 8] Merdan Kömekow Döwletmyrat Myratgulyýew
Eşret Täşliýew Täzegül Nyýazowa[lower-alpha 8] Akmyrat Taganow Magtym Ýangibaýew Parahat Şamyradow Aýgözel Nurlyýewa[lower-alpha 8]

Twenty-seven percent of the winning candidates were women.[12] Berdimuhamedow was alleged to have received 100% of the vote.[1][5]

Aftermath

On 14 April 2021, the People's Council held its first session.[13] Berdimuhamedow inaugurated the complex, addressed the winners, and went on to appoint eight more members.[13][lower-alpha 9] Thereafter, the Council Chair and Deputy Chair were elected.[13] Also elected were the Chairs and Deputy Chairs of five House Committees.

See also

Notes
  1. The Election Commission website adds that a candidate must be "patriotic". This is an extra-constitutional addition.
  2. According to Turkmen law, nominations open 50 days prior to the election and run for 25 days.[6]
  3. However, as has been standard practice in Turkmenistan,[8] the details provided were extremely scanty. The lone missing entry (3 March) was that of President Berdimuhamedow.[9]
  4. 9:00 is claimed by the Election Commission.[5] The State News Agency of Turkmenistan (TDH) claimed that polling began at 10:00 with the singing of state anthem.[11]
  5. See Eastern Slavic naming customs for details.
  6. A counsellor each skipped from the provinces of Akhal and Balkan, and the capital city of Ashgabat.
  7. Patronyms are not mentioned.
  8. Female candidate
  9. The eight appointees were: Agaýew Guwançmyrat Bagybekowiç, Babanyýazow Çarygeldi Gurbangeldiýewiç, Babaýew Kasymguly Gulmyradowiç, Gaýypow Serdar Aşyrowiç, Gulmanowa Dünýägözel Akmuhammedowna, Halnazarow Merdan Jowmardowiç, Orazmämmedow Batyr Geldymämmedowiç, and Taganow Merettagan Gurbandurdyýewiç.

References
  1. "Turkmenistan's Authoritarian Leader Wins Senate Seat With '100 Percent' Of Vote". RFE/RL. March 29, 2021.
  2. "Туркменистан впервые в истории избрал верхнюю палату парламента" (in Russian). Deutsche Welle. March 28, 2021.
  3. Turkmenistan to set up bicameral parliament Xinhua, 26 September 2020
  4. "Features of New Bicameral Parliamentary System of Turkmenistan". Business Turkmenistan. 29 September 2020.
  5. "Elections". saylav.gov.tm. Archived from the original on 2021-04-14. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  6. "Elections". saylav.gov.tm. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  7. Issues of Neytralnyy Turkmenistan from 1 March 2021 to 6 March 2021.
  8. "Знакомтесь, седьмой прокурор, получивший выговор от застрявшего в лифте президента". Радио Азатлык (in Russian). 15 May 2017. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  9. Neytralnyy Turkmenistan, 3 March 2021, p. 3-4.
  10. "Turkmen Voters Given Two Hours To Cast Ballots In Senate Election". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 28 March 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  11. "Центризбирком: выборы членов Халк Маслахаты Милли Генгеша признаны состоявшимися" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». March 28, 2021.
  12. "Заседание Правительства: итоги выборов в верхнюю палату парламента, создание благотворительного фонда, поручения вице-премьерам" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». March 29, 2021.
  13. "Türkmenistanyň Prezidentiniň PERMANY Türkmenistanyň Milli Geňeşiniň Halk Maslahatynyň agzalaryny bellemek hakynda" (in Turkmen). Türkmenistan. 15 April 2021.
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