2008–09 Turkmen parliamentary election

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".{{Cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g04ljLv4-CNqIBH40YQjZdTnUFWw |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122050354/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g04ljLv4-CNqIBH40YQjZdTnUFWw |url-status=dead |archive-date=22 January 2009 |title=Turkmenistan holds key vote as officials vow openness|agency=Agence France-Presse|publisher=Google News|date=14 December 2008|accessdate=14 December 2008}} However, all of the candidates expressed much support for the current President, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/15/AR2008121500458.html|title=Russian-led group declares Turkmen vote fair|author1=Leonard, Peter |author2=Vershinin, Alexander |name-list-style=amp |newspaper=The Washington Post|date=15 December 2008|accessdate=17 December 2008}}{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Ethnic minorities, including the sizable Uzbek minority, were not allowed to field candidates,{{cite news|last=Demytrie|first=Rayham|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7782058.stm |title=Turkmens hold parliamentary poll|work=BBC News|accessdate=15 December 2008|date=13 December 2008}} and many members of the opposition remained in exile.{{cite news|author1=Auyezov, Olzhas |author2=Gurt, Marat |name-list-style=amp |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE4BC1Z720081213|title=Turkmens vote in election with little choice |agency=Reuters|date=13 December 2008|accessdate=14 December 2008}} In addition, irregularities occurred when opposition candidates registered to become candidates, and others had passports confiscated.{{Cite news|last=Pannier|first=Bruce|url=http://www.rferl.org/Content/Turkmen_Parliamentary_Elections_Offer_New_Twists_On_Same_Old_Story/1359414.html|title=Turkmen Parliamentary Elections Offer New Twists on Same Old Story|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=14 December 2008|accessdate=14 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214041516/http://www.rferl.org/content/Turkmen_Parliamentary_Elections_Offer_New_Twists_On_Same_Old_Story/1359414.html|archive-date=14 December 2008|url-status=dead}} 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.{{Cite news|url=http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav121508b.shtml|title=Turkmenistan: How Many Citizens Actually Voted in Parliamentary Vote?|publisher=EurasiaNet|date=15 December 2008|accessdate=15 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218110544/http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insightb/articles/eav121508b.shtml|archive-date=18 December 2008|url-status=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.{{Cite news|last=Kolodina|first=Mariya|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=12&lang_id=en&elem_id=14162&type=event&sort=date_desc|title=The right of choice|publisher=Turkmenistan|date=16 December 2008|accessdate=17 December 2008}}

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| quote = "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."{{Cite news|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=14158&type=event&sort=date_desc|title=CIS observer mission highly rates parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan|publisher=Turkmenistan|date=15 December 2008|accessdate=15 December 2008}}|source=Sergei Lebedev, head of the CIS election observation team|width = 245px| align = left}}

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| quote = "I didn't vote... Why vote if the electoral commission members are going to do it instead of us?"{{Cite news|url=http://www.iwpr.net/?p=btm&s=b&o=348556&apc_state=henh|title=Turkmen Election Reveals Depressingly Familiar Abuses |publisher=NBCentral Asia|date=15 December 2008|accessdate=15 December 2008}}

| source = A man from Ahal Province

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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.{{Cite news|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=14151&type=event&sort=date_desc|title=Final turnout of voters in parliamentary election in Turkmenistan reaches 94%|publisher=Turkmenistan|date=14 December 2008|accessdate=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.{{cite news|url=http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/12/22/asia/turkmen.php |title=Turkmenistan reveals results of election |newspaper=International Herald Tribune|date=22 December 2008|accessdate=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.{{Politics of Turkmenistan}}

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.{{Cite news|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/?page_id=3&lang_id=en&elem_id=14185&type=event&sort=date_desc|title=Central Election Commission of Turkmenistan decides to hold second round of parliamentary election to Mejlis in two constituencies|publisher=Turkmenistan|date=21 December 2008|accessdate=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.{{cite news|author1=Gurt, Marat |author2=Golovnina, Maria |name-list-style=amp |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINLM61161520081222|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081229112727/http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINLM61161520081222|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 December 2008|title=Turkmenistan publishes list of election winners|date=22 December 2008|agency=Reuters|accessdate=22 December 2008}} However, the party affiliation of the candidates was not listed.

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Category:Parliamentary elections in Turkmenistan

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