Turkmenistan to hold parliamentary elections on March 26

Turkmenistan’s Parliament

ASHGABAT: The election of the Mejlis (parliament) deputies in Turkmenistan will be held on March 26.

The relevant resolution was endorsed by the Legislative Chamber of the Parliament of Turkmenistan, local media reported.

The elections of members of the velayat (Region), etrap (District) and city halk maslahaty (People’s Council) as well as members of the Gengeshes (Councils) will also be held on the same day.

The last election was held in 2018 when 284 candidates competed for 125 seats in the Mejlis.

Three political parties – the Democratic Party, the Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs and the Agrarian Party – nominated 168 candidates while the remaining 116 candidates were from the people.

“I want to draw your attention to an extremely important event that will be held in 2023,” Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdimuhamedov said in September.

“We must hold elections for deputies of the Mejlis, members of the velayat, etrap and city halk maslahaty, and also Gengeshes… I firmly believe that the members of the National Parliament in the future will work fruitfully for the sake of the well-being of our people and make a worthy contribution to improving the country’s legislation.”

They will explain to the people the norms and principles of laws and promote the policy of the state, he added.

Serdar Berdimuhamedov has been president of Turkmenistan since March 2022 after he succeeded his father, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who was president for 15 years.