2012 Turkmenistan presidential election


Presidential elections were held in Turkmenistan on 12 February 2012. They were Turkmenistan's fourth presidential elections and decided who would be the country's president for the next five years. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow won with 97% of the vote.

Candidates

Official

  1. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, incumbent President of Turkmenistan
  2. Rejep Bazarow, deputy head of the Daşoguz Province
  3. Kakageldi Abdullaýew, Governor of the Türkmenbaşy District
  4. Gurbanmämmet Mollaniýazow, manager of Türkmennebit
  5. Annageldi Orazberdiýewiç Ýazmyradow, Water Minister
  6. Esendurdy Gaýypow, head of Lebapgurluşyk production association
  7. Saparmyrat Batyrow, director of the Gökdepe textile mill
  8. Ýarmuhammet Orazgulyýew, Deputy Energy and Industry Minister
All of them are members of Turkmenistan's only political party, the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan.

Declared interest

  1. Nurmuhammet Hanamow, leader of the exiled Republican Party of Turkmenistan

Denied

  1. Aina Abayeva, English teacher nominated by the Civil Society Movement. Her request to participate was rejected because the organisation that nominated her was an unregistered NGO. Its lack of legal status meant that it did not have the authority to make such a nomination.

Campaign

Campaigning started in October 2011. During the campaign many of the candidates running against the incumbent president expressed their support for him, thus giving rise to suspicions that his victory was more or less guaranteed. According to an expert from the Chatham House, "the vote a democratic sham" and an example of "faux democracy".