Presidential elections were held in Turkmenistan on 12 February 2017.Turkmenistan sets presidential election for 2017 Associated Press, 16 October 2016 This was Turkmenistan's fifth presidential election and decided who would be the country's president for the next seven years. Incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow won with more than 97% of the vote, similar to the results of the 2012 elections.
The result was widely expected; although the election was nominally contested by nine candidates, all opposition candidates were appointed by the government and the elections were regarded by foreign organisations as not being a free and fair contest.
Background In September 2016, the constitution was changed to remove term limits and the 70 year-old age limit for presidential candidates, as well as extending the presidential term from five to seven years.Constitutional Changes Pave Way for Turkmen President-for-Life The Diplomat, 16 September 2016
Electoral system The President of Turkmenistan is elected using the two-round system.Turkmenistan IFES
Candidates The Democratic Party nominated the incumbent President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, who won 97.14% of the vote in the previous elections. A total of 9 candidates were approved by the Central Election Committee. The opposition candidates' manifestos were published in the state-controlled mass media.
NamePartyPositionMaksat AnnanepesowIndependentChairman of the State Food Industry AssociationJumanazar AnnaýewIndependentDeputy Head of Mary RegionBekmyrat AtalyýewParty of Industrialists and EntrepreneursMember of ParliamentGurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (Incumbent)Democratic Party of Turkmenistan/Independent President of TurkmenistanRamazan DurdyýewIndependentMember of ParliamentMeretdurdy GurbanowIndependentDeputy Head of Daşoguz RegionSerdar JelilowIndependentHead of the Department of Economic Development, Akhal RegionSüleýmannepes NurnepesowIndependentChief Executive of GarabogazsulfatDurdygylyç OrazowAgrarian PartyHead of Mary Region
Results
References