Turkmenistan’s voters elect new composition of parliament supporting reforms

Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec.15

By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:

Around 78.57 per cent of voters have voted in Turkmenistan's parliamentary elections as of 15:00 local time, Central Commission for Elections and Referenda (CEC) of Turkmenistan said.

"Some 2,406,448 people voted in the country by 15:00 accounting for 78.57 per cent of the total number of voters," the CEC said.

The country's President Gurbanguli Berdimuhamedov was among the first who came to polling stations opened simultaneously across the country at 07:00, according to CEC.

"Today's elections is a special event that took place against the background of an ever-increasing civic consciousness of the nation and advancing social and economic development of the country which is the result of the consistent implementation of reform policy of the Turkmen President Gurbanguli Berdimuhamedov," Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary State News Service said.

In total, around 2446 polling stations have been created in Turkmenistan in the 125 constituencies. An additional 33 polling stations operate under Turkmenistan's diplomatic missions, including Azerbaijan.

In accordance with the Electoral Code, the elections of deputies are being held in single-member constituencies.

"In total, 125 deputies will be elected. Only one member for a term of five years will be elected from each constituency," the CEC said.

Around three million citizens in Turkmenistan who have the right to vote and have reached the age of 18 by Election Day have been included in the voters' list.

The defining principles of the present elections are their wide alternativeness, transparency and openness as a fundamental prerequisite for approving the democratic norms in the life of Turkmen society, according to the CEC.

For the first time, representatives of the two main political parties, the Democratic Party and the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs are competing for the mandates of national parliamentarians.

In total, 283 candidates for deputies have been registered. About 99 candidates have been registered from the Democratic Party, Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs - 21 candidates, Federation of Trade Unions - 89 candidates, the Women's Union - 37, Magtumguly Youth Organization - 22, as well as groups of citizens - 15.

Translated by L.Z.

Edited by S.M.