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.
Turkmenistan is a landlocked 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.
The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Turkmenistan, the Turkmen SSR, TuSSR, Turkmenistan, or Turkmenia, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union located in Central Asia existed as a republic from 1925 to 1991. Initially, on 7 August 1921, it was established as the Turkmen Oblast of the Turkestan ASSR before being made, on 13 May 1925, a separate republic of the USSR as the Turkmen SSR.
The Communist Party of Turkmenistan was the ruling communist party of the Turkmen SSR which operated as a republican branch of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. From 1985, it was led by Saparmurat Niyazov. On 16 December 1991, as the Soviet Union was in the process of dissolving, Niyazov reorganized the CPT as the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan. The current Communist Party of Turkmenistan was made illegal during the presidency of Niyazov after independence and remains banned.
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 representative organ of people's power", a title similar to the "supreme organ of state power" of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. 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 and former dentist 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.
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 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.
The Central Bank of Turkmenistan is the national bank of Turkmenistan. It is located in the centre of Ashgabat. It was established in 1991 and regulates the country's banking system and supervises the national financial policy.
The Turkmen Agricultural University named after Saparmurat Niyazov, often abbreviated as TOHU, is the largest higher education institution in Turkmenistan. This university only provides studies in the fields of agriculture. It is named after Saparmyrat Nyýazow, Turkmenistan's first president.
Kasymguly Gulmyradovych Babayev is a Turkmen political figure and economist.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs is the interior ministry or national police force of Turkmenistan. The ministry directly controls the Turkmen police force, consisting of about 25,000 personnel and works with the Ministry for National Security on matters of law enforcement and national defense. The primary tasks of the police force include maintaining law and public security, crime prevention and investigation, passport controlroad and fire safety, and international cooperation in law enforcement. The ministry works with INTERPOL. The current minister is Muhammet Hydyrow. The ministry was founded on February 19, 1998, by decree of President Saparmurat Niyazov “On the formation of the police of Turkmenistan”.
The title Hero of Turkmenistan is a state award of Turkmenistan. It was first awarded in 1992 and was awarded for service to the implementation of domestic and foreign policy.
The Chief of the General Staff of Turkmen Armed Forces is the highest-ranking military officer in the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan, who is responsible for maintaining the operational command of the military and its three major branches. The Chief of the General Staff represents the entire Turkmen military and is in command of the leaders of the Turkmen National Guard, Turkmen Ground Forces, Turkmen Air Force, Turkmen Air Defense Forces, Turkmen Navy and the Turkmen Border Troops.
The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan currently funds 2 high ranking educational institutions: The Military Academy of Turkmenistan and the Military Institute of the Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan. Aside from those two schools, there are several military schools around the country, specializing in the training of personnel of a branches of service. In the early 1990s when the armed forces were rapidly being developed, many officers were trained in the Russian Federation's Ministry of Defense, while at least 300 officers were sent to schools in Turkey. On 3 October 1992, the Turkmen State University created the first Turkmen educational department. This article lists institutions of the Turkmen Armed Forces based on its respective agency and service branch.
Turkmen State Border Service Institute is an educational institution that specializes in the training of personnel of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan and the Turkmen Border Troops. The institute is one of many Turkmen military academies based in Ashgabat.
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.
Gozel Shagulyeva is a Turkmen poet. She began writing poetry at a young age, and has since become a prominent cultural figure in Turkmenistan. She writes about her affection and adoration of Turkmen politicians, including former presidents Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow and Saparmurat Niyazov; she was awarded the title of Hero of Turkmenistan by Berdimuhamedow for her literary contributions to the culture of the country in 2015. Her writing has been criticised for being too flattering.
