2017 Turkmenistan presidential election

2017 Turkmenistan presidential election

12 February 2017
Turnout 97.28%
 
Nominee Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Maksat Annanepesow
Party Independent Independent
Popular vote 3,090,610 32,269
Percentage 97.69% 1.02%

President before election

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
Independent

Elected President

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
Independent

Presidential elections were held in Turkmenistan on 12 February 2017. 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.

Electoral system

The President of Turkmenistan is elected using the two-round system.

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.

Name 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