Presidential Succession in Turkmenistan: Issues for Congress [March 29, 2022]   [open pdf - 628KB]

From the Overview: "Turkmenistan, an authoritarian country rich in hydrocarbons that borders Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and the Caspian Sea, held a snap presidential election on March 12, 2022. Serdar Berdimuhamedov [hyperlink], son of incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, won with a reported 73% [hyperlink] of the vote and was inaugurated [hyperlink] on March 19. Analysts had long speculated [hyperlink] that Serdar was being positioned by his father to succeed to the presidency. The younger Berdimuhamedov was elected [hyperlink] to parliament in 2016 and went on to hold a number of increasingly senior government positions. In September 2021 he turned 40, the minimum age for presidential candidates. Despite rumors about Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's health, analysts were surprised [hyperlink] by the timing of the election. Some speculate that it may have been motivated [hyperlink] by January unrest in neighboring Kazakhstan, while others emphasize [hyperlink] that it was the culmination of a long-term process rather than a 'knee-jerk reaction.'"