turkmenistan’s leader set to win reelection
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Turkmenistan’s leader set to win re-election

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Turkmenistan’s leader set to win re-election

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov
Ashgbat - Arab Today

The president of Turkmenistan is set to sail to victory in Sunday’s election where eight other candidates are on the ballot, but all praise his policies.
President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has been the overwhelmingly dominant figure in the former Soviet republic since late 2006, when he assumed power after death of his eccentric predecessor, Saparmurat Niyazov.
Berdymukhamedov has made small reforms of the single-party system imposed by Niyazov and some aspects of the latter’s cult of personality, which included naming the months of the year after his family members and mandating all schoolchildren read his book of philosophical musings.
Some of Niyazov’s more notoriously odd initiatives, such as banning opera and gold teeth, also were rolled back. Notably, Berdymukhamedov expanded public access to the Internet and increased compulsory education from nine years to 12.
Under Berdymukhamedov, a law was adopted to allow non-government parties, although these parties are strictly vetted. The candidates nominally competing with Berdymukhamedov have been allowed to meet with voters in theaters and cultural centers, but the encounters were not televised and no debates were held.
The country last year amended the constitution to extend the presidential term to seven years from five, and eliminated the age limit of 70, effectively allowing Berdymukhamedov to be president for life.
Meanwhile, Berdymukhamedov has established a considerable personality cult of his own.
He is regularly shown on state media successfully acquitting himself in a wide array of physical and competitive disciplines, such as horse-riding, racing cars, cycling, sailing and lifting weights. More recently, the president has taken up music with gusto, on occasion regaling wildly applauding crowds with performances on the guitar and piano.
State television reported on how during a pre-election visit to a gas refinery last month, Berdymukhamedov watched as workers serenaded him on a severely out-of-tune guitar. Later, the president was shown strumming the same guitar — now properly tuned — and performing a song of his own composition as workers clapped along.
Authorities in Turkmenistan have secured quiescence among the country’s 5 million people through a combination of authoritarianism and generous welfare subsidies, like free household gas and salt. But the state’s ability to dispense that largesse has come under intense strain as the price for natural gas — Turkmenistan’s only significant export commodity — has plummeted.
Until a few years ago, Turkmenistan could count on selling gas to China, Russia and Iran. Russia and Iran have recently stopped buying the fuel, however, following pricing disputes. Turkmenistan is placing strong hopes on an ambitious plan to build a gas pipeline serving Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, but construction so far is underway only in Turkmenistan.
The economic crisis triggered by the collapse in gas revenue has led to devaluation of the national currency, the manat, and shortages of many staples including cooking oil and sugar. Because of the intense secrecy which the government imposes on economic data, there are few ways of being certain about the depth of the problem.

Source: Arab News

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

turkmenistan’s leader set to win reelection turkmenistan’s leader set to win reelection

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

turkmenistan’s leader set to win reelection turkmenistan’s leader set to win reelection

 



GMT 12:49 2017 Wednesday ,06 September

Senegal wants to buy 10 units of ship from PT PAL Indonesia

GMT 22:57 2017 Wednesday ,01 March

Trump lays out his vision of America to Congress

GMT 21:08 2017 Sunday ,17 September

OIC condemns suicide attack in Cameroon

GMT 00:59 2017 Sunday ,10 December

hmad Zahid's Visit To Rohingya Camp

GMT 02:25 2017 Friday ,24 February

Pope in emotion-charged visit to Italy quake zone

GMT 22:26 2016 Thursday ,22 September

Indian market closes higher

GMT 05:52 2016 Wednesday ,05 October

Robin Williams’ widow details actor’s final days

GMT 18:42 2017 Saturday ,07 October

Education, Works ministries discuss cooperation

GMT 03:11 2017 Friday ,14 April

5 Sudanese soldiers killed in Yemen

GMT 15:35 2017 Saturday ,25 February

United Nations chief arrives in Saudi

GMT 20:47 2017 Saturday ,07 October

PM asserts to bolster relations with Egypt

GMT 07:09 2017 Wednesday ,29 March

Ellie Goulding to Open Mawazine Festival

GMT 05:01 2017 Friday ,05 May

Arab Media Forum begins in Dubai

GMT 01:12 2017 Wednesday ,18 October

Fights against climate change, terrorism linked

GMT 06:59 2017 Monday ,13 February

Disney parks in US increases prices again

GMT 14:36 2017 Wednesday ,04 January

Record-chasing Chelsea face test

GMT 14:34 2016 Sunday ,14 August

United States wins 1000th Olympic gold medal
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday