On March 12, Turkmenistan held a snap presidential election. According to the Central Election Commission, Serdar Berdimuhamedov has become the new president of Turkmenistan. The turnout at the polling stations was high and was broadcast online. It was reported to CentralAsia.news by the press office of the CEC.
Serdar Gurbangulyyevich Berdimuhamedov, a candidate from the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan, won the snap election. He got 72,97% of the votes.
On February 11, before the start of the election campaign, at an extraordinary meeting of the Halk Maslakhaty (one of the chambers of parliament), Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, the then head of Turkmenistan, decided to leave the presidency and let the young citizens hold the post. It must be added that a new 30-year development program for Turkmenistan was approved at that meeting.
In total, the CEC had registered nine candidates from three parties and initiative groups.
The nominees were:
Agajan Bekmyradov — a Deputy Governor of Mary province, a candidate from the Agrarian Party of Turkmenistan;
Serdar Gurbangulyyevich Berdimuhamedov — a Deputy Prime Minister, a candidate from the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan;
Babamyrat Tirkeshevich Meredov — a director of the «Wepaly gurluşyk» company, a candidate from the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Turkmenistan;
Berdymammet Hanmamedovich Gurbanov — a chief physician at the «Avaza» sanatorium of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, a deputy of the Mejlis of Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan;
Perhat Guvanchgulyyevich Begenjov — a director of the financial and economic secondary vocational educational institution of Lebap province;
Maksatmyrat Ashirgeldiyevich Ovezgeldiyev — the head of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service of the Babadaykhan district of Akhal province;
Kakageldy Atajanovich Sariyev — the Director of the Research and Production Center «Renewable Energy Sources» of the State Energy Institute of Turkmenistan;
Hydyr Kakabayevich Nunnayev — the Vice-Rector for Science at the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports;
Maksat Myradovich Odeshov — the Chairman of the Committee of Saparmyrat Turkmenbashi district, Dashoguz province of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan.
