2017 Turkmenistan presidential election

2017 Turkmenistan presidential election

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Turnout	97.28%
Nominee Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Maksat Annanepesow Party Independent Independent Popular vote 3,090,610 32,269 Percentage 97.69% 1.02%
Results by region
President before election Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Independent Elected President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Independent

Presidential elections were held in Turkmenistan on 12 February 2017. ^[1] 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, ^[2] 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. ^{[2] [3]}

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. ^{[2] [4]}

Electoral system

The President of Turkmenistan is elected using the two-round system. ^[5]

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. ^{[6] [7]} The opposition candidates' manifestos were published in the state-controlled mass media. ^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]}

Name [18]	Party	Position
Maksat Annanepesow	Independent	Chairman of the State Food Industry Association
Jumanazar Annaýew	Independent	Deputy Head of Mary Region
Bekmyrat Atalyýew	Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs	Member of Parliament
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (Incumbent)	Democratic Party of Turkmenistan/Independent	President of Turkmenistan
Ramazan Durdyýew	Independent	Member of Parliament
Meretdurdy Gurbanow	Independent	Deputy Head of Daşoguz Region
Serdar Jelilow	Independent	Head of the Department of Economic Development, Akhal Region
Süleýmannepes Nurnepesow	Independent	Chief Executive of Garabogazsulfat
Durdygylyç Orazow	Agrarian Party	Head of Mary Region

Results

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow	Democratic Party/Independent	3,090,610	97.69
	Maksat Annanepesow	Independent	32,269	1.02
	Bekmyrat Atalyýew	Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs	11,389	0.36
	Serdar Jelilow	Independent	7,909	0.25
	Jumanazar Annaýew	Independent	6,643	0.21
	Meretdurdy Gurbanow	Independent	5,378	0.17
	Ramazan Durdyýew	Independent	4,745	0.15
	Süleýmannepes Nurnepesow	Independent	2,847	0.09
	Durdygylyç Orazow	Agrarian Party	1,898	0.06
Total			3,163,688	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			3,252,243	–
Source: TRT, Government of Turkmenistan

References

1. Turkmenistan sets presidential election for 2017 Associated Press, 16 October 2016
2. "Turkmenistan Leader Remains in Power". Voice of America . 13 February 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2017.
3. Volkov, Vitaly; Ostapchuk, Markian (10 February 2017). "Turkmenistan's non-election election". The DW . Retrieved 16 February 2017.
4. Constitutional Changes Pave Way for Turkmen President-for-Life The Diplomat, 16 September 2016
5. Turkmenistan IFES
6. "Turkmen presidential candidates start campaigning". AzerNews.az. 29 December 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
7. "Nine Candidates Register To Run In Turkmenistan's Presidential Election". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
8. "Глава государства Гурбангулы Бердымухамедов зарегистрирован кандидатом на пост Президента Туркменистана" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 24 December 2016.
9. "Выступление в ЦИК кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – председателя Марыйского велаятского комитета Аграрной партии Оразова Дурдыгылыча" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 26 December 2016.
10. "Выступление в ЦИК кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – председателя правления акционерного коммерческого банка «Рысгал» Аталыева Бегмырата Сахетмырадовича" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 25 December 2016.
11. "Выступление в ЦИК кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – заместителя председателя Государственного объединения пищевой промышленности Туркменистана Аннанепесова Максата Ковусовича" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 25 December 2016.
12. "Программное заявление кандидата на пост Президента Туркменистана заместителя председателя Государственного объединения пищевой промышленности Аннанепесова Максата Ковусовича" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 26 December 2016.
13. "Выступление кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – генерального директора производственного объединения «Гарабогазсульфат» Государственного концерна «Туркменхимия» Нурнепесова" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 26 January 2016.
14. "Выступление кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – директора Сейдинского нефтеперерабатывающего завода, депутата Меджлиса Дурдыева Рамазана Мустапакулыевича" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 26 December 2016.
15. "Выступление кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – начальника главного управления экономики и развития Ахалского велаята Джелилова Сердара Бегмухаммедовича" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 26 December 2016.
16. "Выступление кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – заместителя хякима Дашогузского велаята Гурбанова Меретдурды Исгендеровича" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 26 December 2016.
17. "Выступление кандидата в Президенты Туркменистана – заместителя хякима Марыйского велаята Аннаева Джуманазара" (in Russian). «Туркменистан: золотой век». 26 December 2016.
18. "Çyn Berdimuhamedow seslensin". Azatlyk Radiosy. Retrieved 5 September 2020.