Ashgabat, Turkmenistan Serdar Berdymukhamedov, the son of outgoing Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, won a snap election with 73% of the vote and will succeed his father, the Central Asian nation’s Central Electoral Commission said on Tuesday.
40-year-old Serdar Berdymukhamedov’s victory was widely expected after his father promoted him to the country’s No. 2 position as Deputy Prime Minister, making it clear he was the designated successor.
There are no strong political opposition groups in the gas-rich desert state of six million, which borders Iran and Afghanistan to the south.
Eight other candidates ran for election, some of them largely unknown low-level officials. According to the Turkmen constitution, the president is elected for a seven-year term.
Serdar Berdymukhamedov is commonly dubbed the “son of the nation” by local media, while his 64-year-old father – who intends to remain Speaker of the House of Lords – is known as Arkadag, or Protector.
Add Comment