Turkmenistan drafts constitutional changes to allow lifelong presidency

By bne IntelliNews February 22, 2016

Turkmen authorities have completed the drafting of constitutional changes to remove the age barrier preventing individuals at the age of 70 and above to run for presidency as well as to increase the duration of a presidential term by two years to seven years, Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on February 20, citing state-run Turkmen newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan. The current constitution allows a president to be continuously re-elected until the age of 70, while the presidential term is five years long.

By removing the age barrier, the 58 year-old Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov will now be able to run for re-election indefinitely, which can be seen as a move to ensure Berdimuhamedov’s lifelong presidency. The decision to alter the constitution also echoes the steps of the previous Turkmen president, Saparmurat Niyazov, who had initially prolonged his own presidential term and eventually declared himself a lifelong president of the country before his death in 2006.

Recently, neighbouring Tajikistan has also prepared constitutional changes that will allow Tajik President Emomali Rahmon to enjoy lifelong immunity from prosecution and to qualify for a lifelong presidency. In 2007 Kazakhstan amended its consitution to remove term limits for President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Read in IntelliNews Pro
Get IntelliNews Pro

Related Articles

Russia for first time overtakes Turkmenistan in gas exports to China

Russia in February for the first time overtook Turkmenistan on a monthly basis to become the largest pipeline supplier of natural gas to China, according to General Administration of Customs of China ... more

Tashkent announces plan for Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan free trade zone

An Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan free trade zone (FTZ) is to be established in Shovot district of Uzbekistan's northwestern Khorezm region, Trend reported on February 29. According to a presidential ... more

Trade between China and four of five “Stans” expands at rapid rate in 2023

Trade between China and the countries of Central Asia expanded at a rapid rate in 2023, with the exception of Turkmenistan, according to data published by China’s customs agency, or GACC. ... more

Follow Us On

Most Read

  1. Ukraine's birth rate plummets to 300-year low as country’s population collapses
    8 days ago
  2. EU finally boosts defence investment into arms production as Ukraine runs out of ammo
    1 month ago
  3. Don't mention the "D" word - Ukraine
    6 days ago
  4. The 'wet-bulb' set to kill hundreds of thousands of people if temperatures and humidity levels continue to rise
    3 days ago
  5. Europe unlikely to tackle Russian LNG imports anytime soon
    3 days ago
  1. Russia could pay off its entire external debt tomorrow, in cash
    26 days ago
  2. Speculation swirls of “Men in Blue” in Crocus City Hall terrorist attack linked to FSB
    1 month ago
  3. Albanians campaign on social media to keep bus bridge created in freak accident
    1 year ago
  4. BRICS announce a blockchain-based payment system to create a common currency
    29 days ago
  5. Saudi Arabia to scale back plans for Neom city
    16 days ago

Reports

Dismiss