Turkmenistan to hold presidential election in 2017

By Azernews

By Gunay Hasanova

Turkmenistan is preparing to hold new presidential elections in 2017.

Three parties for the first time will get involved in the presidential election scheduled for 2017 in Turkmenistan, the country’s President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said on September 14 in a speech at the Council of Elders meeting, the Turkmen government said in a message.

In addition to the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Agrarian Party may participate in the presidential election.

“The competition between these parties will attach a new tone and importance to the political life of the country, provide a high level of multiple choice option during the election, which in turn will further enhance the political culture of the whole society and each citizen, strengthen the unity of the people and the authorities, consolidate society on democratic principles,” Berdimuhamedov added.

Meanwhile, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov signed a constitutional law on approval of the new constitution of Turkmenistan at the country’s Council of Elders meeting held in the city of Ashgabat.

The new edition of the Turkmen constitution will become a stronghold of the national legal system, a guarantor of the rule of law, human rights and freedoms, inviolability of principles of genuine democracy.

Before that, the draft constitutional law of Turkmenistan on approval of the new constitution was considered and unanimously adopted by national MPs participating in the work of the Council of Elders in Ashgabat.

The draft Basic Law was being prepared in collaboration with and taking into account the suggestions of experts of the UN, the OSCE, the German Society for International Cooperation and other international organizations, which are long-term partners of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan is a presidential republic, whereby the President of the country is both head of the state and head of the government. The country has a multi-party system.

Current Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was twice elected to this high post. During the last election in February 2012, he gained support of 97.4 percent of voters.