CENTRAL COMMISSION FOR HOLDING ELECTIONS AND REFERENDUMS IN TURKMENISTAN
Under the wise leadership of the distinguished President in Independent, permanently Neutral Turkmenistan, along with all other systems, attention is paid to the improvement of the electoral system. Elections held in our country, their roots of national democracy lead to the ancient principles based on the perfect experience of our grandfathers and fathers, and also continue in accordance with modern requirements.
Respected President notes that “The Constitution of Turkmenistan and electoral laws provide a real opportunity for citizens to elect and be elected to representative bodies of state power, guarantees universal, equal, direct, free and secret suffrage, along with this, creates a wide opportunity for citizens to directly participate in creating a strategy and a way for the comprehensive growth of the life of our state and society". So, the elections held in our country, being an important step towards the expansion of democratic reforms, have become a reliable creation for the successful implementation of transformations aimed at the further growth of our Motherland.
In the current Turkmen society, we can see the growing responsibility of citizens for the implementation of broad reforms in our country. And this is a free expression of citizens' will, that is, a demonstration of the strengthening of democratic principles of ensuring their electoral rights. For the active participation of our citizens, during the election period are created the necessary legal opportunities and favorable conditions. This is confirmed by Article 3 of the Constitution of Turkmenistan, which states: “The sovereignty of Turkmenistan is realized by the people, the people are the only source of state power. The people of Turkmenistan realize their power directly or through representative bodies”.
The main democratic principles of various elections held in Turkmenistan are their universality, the right to elect and be elected, the prohibition on direct or indirect restriction of their electoral rights, as well as the non-restriction of the rights of citizens to elect and be elected in other cases, besides the circumstances noted in the Electoral Code and leading to responsibility established by law, citizens’ participation in elections on an equal basis is free and voluntary, as well as their secret ballot, direct election by citizens of the President of Turkmenistan, deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of the Halk maslahaty and the Gengeshes, and at the same time preventing control of the will of the voters. And on the basis of democratic elections held on the basis of the above listed principles, realization of their rights by citizens of the country, through their elected representatives - ensures participation in the political life of the country.
As the respected President noted: “Elections are the beating of the hearts of citizens, a manifestation of sincere desires, a kind of presentation of the harmony of society. The country's future and democratic growth is inextricably linked with political consciousness and voter activism”. Between all layers of Turkmen society are reigns beautiful harmony and unbreakable unity. Such fair principles as wise management of society, a comprehensive consideration of the interests of representatives of all strata of citizens in various elections held in our country are clearly manifested with all national distinctiveness.
In accordance with the Electoral Code of Turkmenistan, the right to nominate candidates for elections belongs to political parties, as well as groups of citizens. The reason for this was the emergence in Turkmenistan of a multi-party system based on democratic principles, as well as the creation of the necessary conditions for the growth of civil society in our country.
Also, groups of citizens actively participating in elections held in our country, in accordance with the Electoral Code of Turkmenistan, have the right to nominate candidates for the elections of the President of Turkmenistan, deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of the Halk maslahaty and Gengeshes, appoint national observers at the elections, as well as at elections held in our country, they nominate their representatives to the composition of election commissions of velayats, the city of Ashgabat, districts, etraps, cities, gengeshliks and polling stations. This means, that the place of groups of citizens in society is further strengthened.
Article 44 of the Electoral Code of Turkmenistan states that a citizen of Turkmenistan, who was born in Turkmenistan, not younger than forty years old, who knows the state language, who has been permanently residing and working in Turkmenistan for the previous fifteen years can be nominated to the Presidency of Turkmenistan. Candidates to the Mejlis of Turkmenistan can be nominated citizens of Turkmenistan, who have reached the age of twenty-five years by the Election Day, and permanently residing in Turkmenistan for the previous ten years. Candidates to members of Halk maslahaty, Gengeshes can be nominated citizens of Turkmenistan, who have reached the age of twenty-one years by the Election Day, and residing on the corresponding territory.
The work of nominating a candidate for the Presidency of Turkmenistan from a group of citizens is carried out by an initiative group of citizens.
A meeting of a group of citizens is authorized, if at least two hundred voters, residing in the relevant constituency, participated in nomination of a candidate for deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of the velayat Halk maslahaty, in nomination for members of etrap, city Halk maslahaty - at least a hundred voters, residing in the relevant constituency, and in nomination for members of Gengeshes - at least fifty voters, which residing in the relevant constituency.
In the holding elections in an organized manner and on the basis of democratic principles, there is a separately important role of groups of citizens. Nomination and election of worthy electoral candidates is the main goal of any elections. Elections occupy an important place in the social and political life of any state. Elections - one of the most important political rights of citizens of a state associated with the right to elect and be elected and is the main source of democracy in public life.
In accordance with Article 3 of the Electoral Code of Turkmenistan, citizens of Turkmenistan who have reached the age of eighteen have the right to vote in elections. We draw your attention to the level of the number of representatives of groups of citizens among candidates and elected representatives in the elections of the President of Turkmenistan, held on February 12, 2017 and the elections of deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of the Halk maslahaty and Gengeshes, held on March 25, 2018.
As we already know, at the elections of President of Turkmenistan held on February 12, 2017, 9 candidates were nominated and registered for the presidency. It would be appropriate to note that 6 candidates were nominated from initiative groups of citizens and 3 from political parties.
Elections are under the eye of public observers. All stages of the elections were observed by 4072 national observers nominated from political parties, public associations, groups of citizens and candidates. Of these, there were appointed 321 national observers from groups of citizens.
On March 25, 2018, there were held elections for deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan, members of the velayat, etrap, city Halk maslahaty and Gengeshes. On the basis of the changes and additions made in the Electoral Code of Turkmenistan, for the first time in history, four different in degree national elections were made simultaneously on the same day. So these elections in the history of the elections in our country are the elections with the largest number of registered candidates. Of these, 5,211 are representatives of groups of citizens. More precisely ...
Out of 284 candidates nominated for deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan - 119, out of 489 candidates for members of the velayat Halk maslahaty and the city of Ashgabat - 179, out of 2.570 candidates for members of the etrap, city Halk maslahaty - 951, out of 13.215 candidates for members of the Gengeshes - 4.962 were nominated by groups of citizens and registered by the relevant electoral commissions.
At elections, there were elected totally 7.465 people to representative bodies of power. Among the elected, there were 2.498 people nominated from groups of citizens. Including:
Out of 125 elected deputies of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan - 48, out of 240 elected members of the velayat Halk maslahaty and the city of Ashgabat - 67, out of 1.200 elected members of the etrap, city Halk maslahaty - 351, out of 5.900 elected members of the Gengeshes - 2032 are the representatives of groups of citizens. In this elections, there were appointed 262 national observers from groups of citizens. Summarizing the above, the active participation of citizens in the socio-political event held in our country, indicates a very high political activity of our citizens in society.
In our country, confidently advancing along the path of prosperity, guided by the wise instructions of the esteemed President, our main goal is to further improve the electoral system, the electoral legislation of the permanently Neutral Turkmenistan, and to hold elections on a democratic basis.
Hekimberdi OVEZOV,
The secretary-referent
of the Central Commission for holding elections and referendums in Turkmenistan.