Politics of Turkmenistan - Political Parties and Elections

Political Parties and Elections

For other political parties see Democratic Party of Turkmenistan. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Turkmenistan.

e • d Summary of the 11 February 2007 Turkmenistan presidential Election results

Candidates	Votes	%
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow	2,357,120	89.23
Amanýaz Atajykow	85,016	3.23
Işanguly Nuryýew	62,830	2.38
Muhammetnazar Gurbanow	62,672	2.37
Orazmyrat Garajaýew	40,821	1.55
Aşyrnyýaz Pomanow	34,733	1.31
Total (turnout 95 %)
Source: http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/politika/pol&ofic.htm

e • d Summary of the 19 December 2004 Mejlis of Turkmenistan election results

Party	Seats
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan	50
Total (turnout 76.9 %)	50

e • d Summary of the 7 April 2003 People's Council of Turkmenistan election results

Party	Seats
Democratic Party of Turkmenistan	2507
Total (turnout 65 %)	2507

Turkmenistan 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.