Ashgabat, 30 March 2023 (TDI): On March 27, 2023, the head of Turkmenistan’s Central Commission for Elections and Referendums conducted a briefing.
During the briefing, it was stated that the elections for Turkmen Mejlis MPs, Halk Maslahaty members, and Gengeshes held the day before had been successful.
International observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) attended the event.
Likewise, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Bureau for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) also attended.
During the briefing, the active participation of Turkmen nationals in voting both within the country and abroad was discussed.
As a result, more than 91 percent of people on voter lists voted in the elections. There were 2,644 polling sites across the country, including 42 at Turkmen diplomatic missions and consulates overseas.
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On the same day, briefings for the CIS, SCO, and OTS Observation Missions were held. International observers concluded that the elections were successful.
They also stated that the elections were organized on a broad alternative basis, were open and democratic, and thanked the Turkmen side for the invitation to participate in this major social and political event in the life of the state.
It was particularly highlighted because representatives from all parties, as well as candidates from citizen groups, took part in the recent elections.
Members of the Missions underlined the importance of domestic media in providing information about the election campaign. Advances in national electoral legislation in recent years have also been emphasized.
In this sense, the elections on March 26, 2023, were held in compliance with Turkmenistan’s Constitution and Election Code, as well as internationally recognized standards.
