The politics of Turkmenistan nominally takes place in the framework of a presidential republic, whereby the President of Turkmenistan is nominally both head of state and head of government. However, as of 21 January 2023 a "national leader" was appointed who chairs an independent People's Council (viz.) with authority to amend the constitution, and who exercises supreme political authority. No true opposition parties are allowed; every registered political party supports the third and current President Serdar Berdimuhamedow. The country is frequently described as a totalitarian state.
The economy of Turkmenistan continues to recover from the 2014 downturn in hydrocarbon prices, but remains "in the grip of its worst economic crisis since the immediate post-independence period, driven in part by low gas prices, the suspension of gas exports to Russia between 2016 and 2019...and poor harvests." Former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow at a session of the Cabinet of Ministers on March 11, 2021, called the rate of GDP growth unsatisfactory. When discussing the 2021 government budget, he noted that 2021 would be "as difficult" a year as 2020 had been. According to the 2020 Investment Climate Statement of the US Department of State, Turkmenistan's economy depends heavily on the production and export of natural gas, oil, petrochemicals and, to a lesser degree, cotton, wheat, and textiles. The economy is still recovering from a deep recession that followed the late 2014 collapse in global energy prices. The current investment climate is considered high risk for US foreign direct investment.
Ashgabat, also spelled Asgabat, formerly named Poltoratsk between 1919 and 1927, is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan. It lies between the Karakum Desert and the Kopetdag mountain range in Central Asia, approximately 50 km away from the Iran-Turkmenistan border. The city has a population of 1,030,063.
Turkmenistan is a country in Central Asia bordered by Kazakhstan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, east and northeast, Afghanistan to the southeast, Iran to the south and southwest and the Caspian Sea to the west. Ashgabat is the capital and largest city. It is one of the six independent Turkic states. With a population over 7 million, Turkmenistan is the 35th most-populous country in Asia and has the lowest population of the Central Asian republics while being one of the most sparsely populated nations on the Asian continent.
Turkmenistan elects on national level a head of state — the president — and a legislature. The elections in Turkmenistan since its split from the Soviet Union have been widely criticized for being neither free nor fair and attempting to give an appearance of legitimacy to what is in reality a dictatorship. Parties in Turkmenistan are the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan and the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs. The president has a seven-year term, while the legislature has a five-year term.
The People's Council of Turkmenistan is Turkmenistan's independent "representative body" exerting supreme constitutional authority. It includes in its membership, but is not considered part of, the legislature. Among other things, it is empowered to amend the constitution. Its chairperson is appointed by the president and is designated the "National Leader". State media referred to the People's Council as the "supreme organ of government authority". From 2018 to 2023 it was the upper chamber of Turkmenistan's Parliament, the "National Council".
The Assembly is the unicameral legislature of Turkmenistan. Between March 2021 and 21 January 2023, it was the lower house of the National Council of Turkmenistan. It consists of 125 members, who are elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies.
Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow is a Turkmen politician who is currently the chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan. He previously served as the 2nd President of Turkmenistan from 2006 to 2022, when he entered into a power-sharing arrangement with his son, Serdar, the current president.
Anau is a city in Turkmenistan. Until 20 December 2022 it was the capital of Ahal Province. It is situated 8 km southeast of Ashgabat, to which it is connected via the M37 highway.
The State Security Council of Turkmenistan is an important decision-making body in the field of the defence of Turkmenistan. It is the highest decision-making body in the armed forces next to the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff, with its members directly advising the President of Turkmenistan on matters of national security.
The districts of Turkmenistan are territorial entities below the provinces of Turkmenistan. They may be counties, cities, or boroughs of cities. The heads of the districts are appointed by the President of Turkmenistan.
The Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan is a state body in Turkmenistan founded in 1951, which is responsible for the implementation of Turkmen scientific and technical policy. The academy was closed under president Saparmurat Niyazov and reopened by his successor, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.
Kasymguly Gulmyradovych Babayev is a Turkmen political figure and economist.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan is the chief executive body in Turkmenistan. The Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan is appointed by the President of Turkmenistan who is both the chief of state and head of government. In addition to holding specific portfolios in most cases, six deputy chairpersons of the Cabinet of Ministers may also be assigned responsibility for oversight of a province of Turkmenistan or of the capital city.
Serdar Gurbangulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow is a Turkmen politician serving as the third and current president of Turkmenistan since 19 March 2022. Berdimuhamedow had previously served in several other positions within the government of his father, Gurbanguly, the long-standing authoritarian ruler of Turkmenistan. The father and son entered into a power-sharing arrangement in 2022 whereby they jointly rule an authoritarian system of government in Turkmenistan.
People's Council elections were held in Turkmenistan on 28 March 2021 to elect 48 of the 56 members of the People's Council or Halk Maslahaty. Another eight were appointed by the president on 14 April 2021.
The National Council of Turkmenistan was Turkmenistan's bicameral national legislative body or parliament from March 2021 until January 2023. The upper chamber was the People's Council and the lower chamber was the Assembly. The National Council was created in March 2021 following election of members to the upper chamber, which in turn followed a constitutional amendment in late 2020.
Altyn Asyr is a city in Tejen District, Ahal Province, Turkmenistan. Its main economic activity is cotton farming.
Arkadag is a city in southern Turkmenistan. It became the regional capital of Ahal Province effective 20 December 2022. It is a largely greenfield development started in 2019 with an initial budget of $1.5 billion. The city was named in honor of former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who is officially entitled Arkadag. Uniquely among Turkmen cities, Arkadag is by law designated a "city of state importance".
