2007 Turkmenistan presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Turkmenistan on February 11, 2007, following the death of president-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov on 21 December 2006.

2007 Turkmen presidential election
February 11, 2007 (2007-02-11)
 
Nominee Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow Amanýaz Atajykow
Party TDP TDP
Popular vote 2,357,120 85,016
Percentage 89.07% 3.21%
President before election

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (Acting)
TDP

 Elected President

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow
TDP

Turkmenistan
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Turkmenistan

Election date

After Niyazov's death on December 21, 2006, Acting President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow stated that the date for the next presidential election would be announced on December 26, 2006; he also claimed that these elections would be held "on a democratic basis that has been laid by the great leader".[1] On December 26, 2006 the People's Council announced that the election would occur on February 11, 2007.[2]

Candidates

Six candidates were approved out of eleven contenders, all of them members of the Democratic Party:[3][4]

Current authorities endorsed the Acting President.[6] The candidate nominated by the opposition coalition (whose members are mostly in exile) (led by the Republican Party of Turkmenistan and Watan), Hudaýberdi Orazow, was not approved.[7]

Before the elections, ITAR-TASS claimed that instead of Gurbanow, Durdy Durdyýew, the Deputy Tourism and Sports Minister, would be a candidate in the election.[2] Later reports never mentioned him again and always gave the six candidates named above as the approved candidates,[8] so it seems likely that Durdyýew was only one of the eleven proposed candidates.

At the start of his campaign, Berdimuhamedow promised substantial reforms such as allowing internet access for everyone and revamping the education system, but at the same time vowed to follow Niyazov's footsteps.[9] He also said he would support small business and private ownership, noting that 61% of the economy is in private hands.[10]

Conduct

Electoral officials in Turkmenistan reported that 95% of voters voted in the election.[11] Radio Free Europe disputes the voter turn-out figures provided by the government, and claims that the election was "neither free nor fair".[12][13] The International Crisis Group has described the poll as a "blatantly falsified election".[14]

Seeking to boost voter participation, officials warned inhabitants of Lebap Province that they would not get their monthly flour rations if they failed to vote.[12] At the same time, first-time and elderly voters were promised "gifts" for voting. Later reports indicated that the gift consisted of the late Niyazov's ubiquitous Ruhnama.[12]

Results

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was declared the winner of the election on February 14, receiving 89% of the vote according to official results, and was sworn in as president immediately afterwards.[15]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Gurbanguly BerdimuhamedowDemocratic Party2,357,12089.07
Amanýaz AtajykowDemocratic Party85,0163.21
Işanguly NuryýewDemocratic Party62,8302.37
Muhammetnazar GurbanowDemocratic Party62,6722.37
Orazmyrat GarajaýewDemocratic Party40,8211.54
Aşyrnyýaz PomanowDemocratic Party34,7331.31
Against all3,1740.12
Total2,646,366100.00
Valid votes2,646,36699.92
Invalid/blank votes2,2310.08
Total votes2,648,597100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,677,58998.92
Source: Government of Turkmenistan

References
  1. "Turkmenistan Promises 'democratic' Elections — But As Defined By Late Authoritarian Leader". Theday.com. 2006-12-23. Retrieved 2006-12-23.
  2. "Two candidates named for Turkmen presidency". ITAR TASS. 2006-12-26. Retrieved 2006-12-26.
  3. "Turkmen acting leader approved as presidential candidate". RIA Novosti. 2006-12-26. Retrieved 2006-12-26.
  4. "Turkmen media run biographies of presidential candidates". International Herald Tribune. 2006-12-27. Retrieved 2006-12-27.
  5. "Election Date Set in Turkmenistan". The Moscow Times. 2006-12-27. Retrieved 2006-12-27.
  6. "Turkmen lawmakers back caretaker as new president". Reuters. 2006-12-26. Archived from the original on 2007-03-31. Retrieved 2006-12-26.
  7. "Turkmen Opposition nominates its own candidate for presidency". ITAR TASS. 2006-12-26. Retrieved 2006-12-26.
  8. Staff writer (2006-12-27). "List of Turkmen presidential candidates released". Interfax. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved 2006-12-28.
  9. Staff writer (2007-01-04). "Turkmen candidate pledges reforms". BBC News. Retrieved 2007-01-04.
  10. "Turkmenistan voters promised reform", Al Jazeera, January 4, 2007.
  11. High turnout for Turkmen election, BBC News, February 11, 2007.
  12. Polls Closed In Turkmen Presidential Election. RFE/RL. February 11, 2007
  13. Turkmenistan: Presidential Election Deemed Neither Free Nor Fair. RFE/RL February 12, 2007
  14. Vershinin, Alexander (2007-02-13). "Think Tank Blasts Turkmen Election". Associated Press. CBS News. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007. Retrieved 2007-02-14.
  15. "New Turkmen President Sworn In". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2007-03-06.
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