2008–09 Turkmen parliamentary election

none September 2020 Turkmenistan 2004 yes 2008 12 14 2013 All 125 seats in the Assembly 63 93.87% yes Parliamentary elections were held in Turkmenistan on 14 December 2008, with a second round held in one constituency on 28 December 2008 and a revote in one constituency on 8 February 2009.http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2325_E.htm Turkmenistan: Last election Inter-Parliamentary Union 8 February 2009https://www.rferl.org/a/Turkmenistan_Publishes_List_Of_Election_Winners/1362308.html Turkmenistan Publishes List of Election Winners Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 22 December 2008 8 February 2009 The number of assembly members was increased from 65 to 125 (while the People's Council was abolished) in constitutional reforms enacted on 26 September 2008.https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7638102.stm Turkmenistan takes reformist step BBC News 26 November 2008 8 February 2009 It was the first election since Turkmenistan's independence in which, theoretically, parties other than the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan are allowed to take part since the constitution no longer defined Turkmenistan as a one-party state. However, no legal opposition parties had been set up and the fact that the election took place in single-seat constituencies greatly diminished the opposition's chance of gaining parliamentary representation. Background About 90% of the 288 candidates for the 125 seats were members of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT), and 10% are of affiliated organisations or weak "initiative groups".https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g04ljLv4-CNqIBH40YQjZdTnUFWw https://web.archive.org/web/20090122050354/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g04ljLv4-CNqIBH40YQjZdTnUFWw dead 22 January 2009 Turkmenistan holds key vote as officials vow openness Agence France-Presse Google News 14 December 2008 14 December 2008 However, all of the candidates expressed much support for the current President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121500458.html Russian-led group declares Turkmen vote fair Leonard, Peter Vershinin, Alexander amp The Washington Post 15 December 2008 17 December 2008June 2021 medicmedic Ethnic minorities, including the sizable Uzbek minority, were not allowed to field candidates,Demytrie Rayham https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7782058.stm Turkmens hold parliamentary poll BBC News 15 December 2008 13 December 2008 and many members of the opposition remained in exile.Auyezov, Olzhas Gurt, Marat amp https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4BC1Z720081213 Turkmens vote in election with little choice Reuters 13 December 2008 14 December 2008 In addition, irregularities occurred when opposition candidates registered to become candidates, and others had passports confiscated.Pannier Bruce https://www.rferl.org/a/Turkmen_Parliamentary_Elections_Offer_New_Twists_On_Same_Old_Story/1359414.html Turkmen Parliamentary Elections Offer New Twists on Same Old Story Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 14 December 2008 14 December 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081214041516/http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmen_Parliamentary_Elections_Offer_New_Twists_On_Same_Old_Story/1359414.html 14 December 2008 live Human Rights Watch said of the election, "The conditions are not in place to hold a free and fair election that would be a meaningful reflection of the will of the people," but also mentioned that there has been "some progress". Turkmen citizens also noted that there was little, if any information regarding the candidates up for election available.http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav121508b.shtml Turkmenistan: How Many Citizens Actually Voted in Parliamentary Vote? EurasiaNet 15 December 2008 15 December 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081218110544/http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav121508b.shtml 18 December 2008 dead The election was also the first in which expatriates could vote. Polling stations were set up at Turkmenistan's 27 diplomatic missions, including those in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, Brussels, Moscow, and London.Kolodina Mariya http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=12&lang_id=en&elem_id=14162&type=event&sort=date_desc The right of choice Turkmenistan 16 December 2008 17 December 2008 Conduct "The parliamentary elections were well-organized, competitive and free. They were held in compliance with election legislation in effect in the country and generally recognized norms of democratic elections, and were marked by high voter turnout."http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=14158&type=event&sort=date_desc CIS observer mission highly rates parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan Turkmenistan 15 December 2008 15 December 2008 Sergei Lebedev, head of the CIS election observation team 245px left "I didn't vote... Why vote if the electoral commission members are going to do it instead of us?"http://www.iwpr.net/?p=btm&s=b&o=348556&apc_state=henh Turkmen Election Reveals Depressingly Familiar Abuses NBCentral Asia 15 December 2008 15 December 2008 A man from Ahal Province 245px left A small, nine-member team from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) observed the elections, as well as small teams from the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the first time international observers were allowed to view the election. According to the Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan, 2.59 million people, which is a turnout of 93.87%, cast ballots at 2,118 polling locations in 125 constituencies.http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=14151&type=event&sort=date_desc Final turnout of voters in parliamentary election in Turkmenistan reaches 94% Turkmenistan 14 December 2008 15 December 2008 However, some opposition and human rights groups suggested that the turnout may have been lower than 30%. After the elections, the head of the CIS observation team said that voting was "in line with the requirements of the local legislation and international norms of elections". Ultimately OSCE chose not to monitor the elections, since the country's laws did not allow genuine competition. Human Rights Watch was also critical of the vote, for the same reason.http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/22/asia/turkmen.php Turkmenistan reveals results of election International Herald Tribune 22 December 2008 25 December 2008 Some residents reported being pressured to vote, or for whom to vote. There were also other issues, such as the use of pencils to mark votes, allowing single members of a family to vote for everyone else in the family, and that some people voted without needing to provide any identification documents. Results There were 13 seats up for election in Ashgabat, 19 seats in Ahal Province, 11 in Balkan Province, 26 in Daşoguz Province, 26 in Lebap Province, and 28 in Mary Province.http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=14185&type=event&sort=date_desc Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan decides to hold second round of parliamentary election to Mejlis in two constituencies Turkmenistan 21 December 2008 21 December 2008 Two or more candidates competed in each constituency, and candidates needed to win 50% of the vote in order to secure the seat. Runoffs were held on 28 December 2008, and a revote was held in one seat on 8 February 2009. A list of 123 winners were announced on 22 December 2008.Gurt, Marat Golovnina, Maria amp http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINLM61161520081222 https://web.archive.org/web/20081229112727/http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINLM61161520081222 dead 29 December 2008 Turkmenistan publishes list of election winners 22 December 2008 Reuters 22 December 2008 However, the party affiliation of the candidates was not listed. References Turkmenistan Turkmenistan Parliamentary election Parliamentary election Category:Parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results