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Parliament name (generic / translated) Mejlis / Assembly More photos  >>> Structure of parliament Unicameral Affiliation to the IPU No Affiliation date(s) LEADERSHIP President Akja Tajiyewna Nurberdiyewa (F)   Secretary General Enegul B. Dollayeva (F)   COMPOSITION Members (statutory / current number) 50 / 50 PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN More statistics  >>> Women (current number) 8 (16.00%) Mode of designation Directly elected 50 Term 5 years Last renewal dates 19 December 2004 9 January 2005 (View details) CONTACT INFORMATION Address Mejlis of Turkmenistan Neutral Turkmenistan str, 17 ASHGABAT 744000 (Export mailing lists) Phone 99312) 35 31 25 39 59 58 Fax (99312) 35 31 47 E-mail Website

Parliament name (generic / translated) Mejlis / Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral LEGAL FRAMEWORK Electoral law 13 May 1994 Mode of designation Directly elected 50 Constituencies 50 single-member constituencies. Voting system Majority: Direct voting, absolute majority system. A candidate is declared elected if he/she obtains at least 50 % of the votes cast in each constituency. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled through by-elections held within three months, unless the vacancy occurs less than one year before the end of the legislature's term. Voting is not compulsory. Voter requirements - age: 18 years - Turkmen citizenship - residence in district of registration - disqualifications: insanity, imprisonment, preventive detention CANDIDATES Eligibility Qualified electors - age: 25 years - Turkmen citizenship - ineligibility: imprisonment Incompatibilities - membership of the Cabinet - certain high public offices - judge or public prosecutor Candidacy requirements - nominations 45 to 30 days before the elections - candidatures submitted by legally registered political parties, public associations and organizations or by assemblies of citizens of at least 200 voters residing in the same constituency. Absolute majority backing required for each name to go forward.

Parliament name (generic / translated) Mejlis / Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral BACKGROUND Dates of election / renewal (from/to) (from/to) 19 December 2004 9 January 2005 Timing and scope of renewal Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office. On 19 December 2004 a total of 131 candidates ran for election to the Assembly (Majlis) in this former Soviet republic of 4.9 million people, covered largely by desert but rich in natural gas. Many human rights activists claim that all candidates were "hand-picked" and personally approved by the President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov, considered to be the most powerful figure in Turkmenistan since 1985. Under the 1992 constitution, legislative power is shared by two bodies: the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty) and the Assembly (Majlis). In 2003 President Niyazov reduced the unicameral Assembly's role by depriving it of the right to make constitutional changes. At the same time, he made the People's Council the country's highest legislative body. The Council, headed by the President himself, is composed of more than 2,000 top officials and elders some of whom are elected by popular vote and others appointed. All the incumbent members of the Assembly belonged to Mr. Niyazov's Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT). The DPT remains the country's only legal party as formal political parties are banned. Under such circumstances, the Turkmen leader holds full power over the country, and has resisted moves toward democracy and economic reforms by isolating the country from the international community. According to the office of the special envoy of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to Central Asia, no international observer was invited by the Turkmen government to monitor the election. In fact, the OSCE was refused entry to Turkmenistan. The Turkmen government said that fairness would be ensured by some 200 of the country's own monitors representing the DPT, the Youth Union, the Women's Union and trade unions. Rights activists qualified the polls as mere "window dressing". According to Turkmen election officials, 1,915,000 people, or 76.88 percent of eligible voters, cast their ballot, largely exceeding the 50 percent required to validate the poll, but much lower than the 99.6 percent turnout in the last election in 1999. It is reported that polling stations in the capital, Ashgabat, were almost empty throughout the day, causing election officials to carry ballot boxes from door to door. National observers and election officials nevertheless concluded that the voting process had satisfied the country's laws. In the first round, parliamentarians were elected in 43 electoral districts. The Turkmen law on elections stipulates that a run-off must be organized if no one gains over 50% in a voting district where three or more candidates are registered. Runoff ballots were therefore held on 9 January 2005 for the two leading candidates in the remaining seven districts. STATISTICS Voter turnout Round no 1 19 December 2004 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes 1'915'000 76.88% Notes Round no 2 9 January 2005 Number of registered electors Voters Blank or invalid ballot papers Valid votes Notes Distribution of votes Round no 1 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT) 131 Round no 2 Political group Candidates Votes % of votes Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT) Distribution of seats Round no 1 Political Group Total of seats Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT) 43 Round no 2 Political Group Total of seats Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (DPT) 7 Distribution of seats according to sex Men Women Percent of women 42 8 16.00% Distribution of seats according to age Distribution of seats according to profession Comments

Parliament name (generic / translated) Mejlis / Assembly Structure of parliament Unicameral APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE Title Chairman of the Mejlis (Parliament) Term - duration: 5 years (term of House) - reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, decision of the Mejlis, death, dissolution of the Parliament Appointment - elected by the Mejlis at the first sitting of the newly convened Mejlis - after Members' mandates are validated Eligibility - a candidacy for the post is proposed among the Deputies of the Mejlis and discussed at the meeting of the Mejlis itself Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot - the Mejlis elects a Committee of tellers to conduct the election and to determine the results thereof - each Deputy votes personnally; the Committee of tellers counts the vote and prepares a protocol which is approved at the Mejlis session - should more than 2 candidates be nominated for the post and none of them receive the necessary number of votes to be elected, a run-off is held between the two candidates who have received the highest number of votes - absolute majority is required (more than one half of the votes of the number of Deputies) Procedures / results - the Chairman of the Central Commission for Elections and Referenda presides over the Mejlis during the voting - the Committee of tellers supervises the voting - the Committee of tellers announces the results without any delay - the results cannot be challenged, but if mistakes in the procedure and technique of voting are detected, a new vote may be held if the Mejlis so decides STATUS Status - at the instruction of the President of Turkmenistan, the Chairman of the Mejlis performs certain of the President of the Mejlis' duties as provided for by the Constitution - President's powers are transferred to the Chairman until a new President is elected - represents the Mejlis with the Khalk maslakhaty (People's Council), the President and other state bodies and public associations - represents the Mejlis in international bodies - in the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman can assume his/her role and functions Board - the Presidium consists of the Chairman of the Mejlis, the Vice-Chairman and the chairmen of the committees - meetings are convened as necessary by the Chairman - have a quorum when at least 2/3 of the Members are presents - is a collective body Material facilities - salary - official car FUNCTIONS Organization of parliamentary business - organizes the debates - examines the admissibility of bills and amendments - refers texts to a committee for study - verifies the admissibility of request for setting up committees and/or committees of enquiry, proposes or decides on the setting up of such committees Chairing of public sittings - decides to open, adjourn and close sittings by putting these questions to a vote - ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders, according the Law - can make announcements concerning the Mejlis - is responsible for discipline within the Mejlis - establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak - amendments are discussed and adopted, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure - checks the quorum - authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates - interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Mejlis Special powers - appoints and dismisses officials of the Mejlis services - makes a proposal to the Presidium concerning the structure of Mejlis services - is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments - is responsible for safety, and in this capacity, can call the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes the floor in legislative debates - provides guidelines for the interpretation or completion of the text under discussion, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure - takes part in voting - may propose bills or amendments

This page was last updated on 3 September 2008
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