At stake in this election:

• The office of Acting President of Turkmenistan

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Acting President Gurbanguly BERDYMUHAMMEDOV *
• Head of Government: Acting President Gurbanguly BERDYMUHAMMEDOV
• Assembly: Turkmenistan has a unicameral Parliament (Mejlis) with 50 seats.

* Gurbanguly BERDYMUHAMMEDOV became acting president following the sudden death of President-for-life Saparmurat NIYAZOV in December 2006.
The president is both the chief of state and head of government.
The president is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term. In 1999, the parliament decided that President Saparmurat NIYAZOV should serve for life.

Description of electoral system:

• The Acting President is elected by popular vote to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Parliament (Mejlis) 50 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.***

*** However, the highest legislative body is the People's Council (Halk Maslikhaty), a unicameral body with 2,500 delegates. In the unicameral Parliament (Mejlis), 50 members are elected by absolute majority vote in single-seat constituencies to serve 5-year terms. The membership is scheduled to increase to 65 seats.
In the unicameral People's Council (Halk Maslikhaty), delegates are either elected by popular vote or appointed. Elected members serve 5-year terms.

** Members of the People's Council are elected either by popular vote or are appointed.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Gurbanguly BERDYMUHAMMEDOV
  • Party: Acting President
• Amanyaz ATADZHYKOV
  • Party: Parliament deputy and first deputy governor of the Dashoguz region
• Ishanguly NURYEV
  • Party: Deputy Petroleum Industry and Mineral Resources Minister
• Mukhammetnazar GURBANOV
  • Party: Head of the Karabekaul district
• Orazmyrad GARADZHAYEV
  • Party: Head of Abadan city
• Ashirniyaz POMANOV
  • Party: Governor of Turkmenbashi city

Last Presidential election:

• The last presidential election was held on June 21, 1992. Saparmurat NIYAZOV was elected president without opposition. He obtained 99.5% of the vote. On 28 December 1999, the People's Council unanimously approved NIYAZOV as president for life.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 5,570,129 (July 2006 est.)
• Registered Voters: 2,677,589 (February 2007 )