President of Turkmenistan

Serdar Berdimuhamedow, President of Turkmenistan

Serdar Gurbangulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow is the third President of Turkmenistan, in office since 19 March 2022. He succeeded his father Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, who had ruled the closed Central Asian state for 15 years, in what most analysts describe as a dynastic succession. Gurbanguly retains the lifetime title “National Leader of the Turkmen People” and chairs the upper chamber of parliament, the Halk Maslahaty — making Turkmenistan a rare case of father-son power-sharing at the top of an authoritarian state.

Turkmenistan is ranked by Freedom House, Reporters Without Borders and V-Dem as one of the most closed and repressive countries in the world — routinely placed alongside North Korea and Eritrea. Serdar’s first term is defined by a cautious continuation of Turkmen isolationism, dependence on gas exports to China, and tentative efforts to modernise the country’s digital and financial infrastructure.

Early life and education

Serdar was born on 22 September 1981 in Ashgabat, then capital of the Turkmen SSR. He attended Secondary School No. 43 before enrolling at the Turkmen Agricultural University. He later studied at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow and at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy in Switzerland — unusual international exposure for a Turkmen official. He also holds a doctoral degree from the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan.

Political rise and 2022 election

Serdar served in the Turkmen Ground Forces (2001–2003), then began a meteoric climb through the state apparatus: member of the Assembly of Turkmenistan (2016–2019), Governor of Ahal Province (2019–2020), Minister of Industry and Construction Materials (2020–2021), and Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for Economics and Finance (2021–2022). On 11 February 2022, his father unexpectedly announced the presidency should pass to a younger generation and called a snap election. On 12 March 2022 Serdar, standing for the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan (TDP), officially received 72.97% of the vote. He was sworn in as president on 19 March 2022. Independent observers described the vote as a sham.

Dual power with his father

In a constitutional amendment approved in January 2023, parliament elevated Gurbanguly to the newly created post of Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty (the senior chamber of parliament) with extensive oversight powers. Gurbanguly also holds the title “National Leader” and remains the de facto chief policy-maker on energy and foreign affairs. Serdar handles day-to-day government and public appearances. Diplomatic cables and local observers describe the arrangement as “tandem rule” — a phrase previously used for Russia in the Medvedev–Putin years.

Economy and foreign policy

Turkmenistan holds the world’s fourth-largest proven natural gas reserves. Some 80% of gas exports go to China, which has built three trans-Central-Asian pipelines through Turkmenistan. A fourth line (Line D) has been under negotiation for over a decade. Turkmenistan maintains a doctrine of “permanent neutrality” recognised by the UN since 1995, and has kept a distance from the war in Ukraine. Since 2022, quiet talks with the European Union on a Trans-Caspian pipeline have gained new urgency, but Russia and Iran have continued to resist the project.

Human rights and freedoms

Freedom House rates Turkmenistan 2 out of 100 — one of the lowest scores in the world. All media are state-controlled; the internet is among the most heavily filtered on the planet, with most Western platforms blocked and VPN use criminalised. Forced labour during the annual cotton harvest is extensively documented by the Turkmen.news outlet and the Cotton Campaign. Religious freedom is tightly restricted; independent political parties and civil-society organisations are effectively banned. International human rights mechanisms such as the UN Committee Against Torture have cited Turkmenistan for widespread abuse and enforced disappearances.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow, Former President of Turkmenistan (Re-elected on Feb 12, 2017 and Feb 12, 2012)

Gurbanguly Mälikgulyýewiç Berdimuhammedow, born June 29, 1957) has been the President of Turkmenistan since December 21, 2006, when he became acting president following the death of Saparmurat Niyazov. On February 14, 2007, Berdimuhammedow was named the winner of the presidential election held three days earlier, and immediately sworn into office. Early years Berdimuhammedow was born on June 29, 1957 in Babarab in what is now the Gökdepe etrap (“district”) of Ahal province. He graduated from the Turkmen State Medical Institute in 1979 and entered a career in dentistry. He also received a PhD in medical sciences in Moscow. By 1992 he had become part of the dentistry faculty at the Medical Institute. In an interview when asked about his life experience Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedow said: “It is too early for me to write a detailed biography. My biography is in many respects typical of people of my generation.” On influencing factors to his character: “My parents always managed to maintain the hospitable atmosphere in the family. They were happy at an opportunity to communicate openly with people – friends and relatives. They always took active part in the resolving of other people’s problems and difficulties…(more)…this necessity in empathy my parents had instilled in me in the childhood influenced, to the considerable extent, my choice to devote my life to medicine…(more)…readiness to help a neighbor is peculiar to the society as a whole, it may characterize the strength and moral health of the nation. The Turkmen literature has many splendid authors who gave the world their immortal works that express the profound Turkmen people’s wisdom in a concentrated form. I admire Makhtumkuli, Andalib, Azadi, Kemine… Due to my medical education I read a lot the works of Ibn Sina (Avicenna), a great scholar of the medieval times, with great interest. The expanse of his interests and the depth of the scientist’s judgments stroke me. Ibn Sina is a great man not only as a doctor but as a philosopher and thinker as well.” In 1995 under the rule of Saparmurat Niyazov, Berdimuhammedow became head of the dentistry center of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry. In 1997 he was named Health Minister, and also became Deputy Prime Minister in 2001. In April 2004, Niyazov suspended Bedimuhammedow salary for three months because healthcare workers were also not being paid. The Health Ministry was responsible for carrying out Niyazov’s notorious order to close all hospitals outside of the capital city and major regional towns in 2005. Following the death of Niyazov, who did not name a successor, in December 2006, Berdimuhammedow became the head of the commission to organize Niyazov’s state funeral. This immediately led to speculation that he was a front-runner in the race to appoint a successor to Niyazov in the power vacuum that followed his death.

Saparmurat Niyazov, Former President of Turkmenistan

Saparmurat Niyazov was born on February 19, 1940, into a worker’s family in Ashgabat.  His father died in battle in World War II and the remaining members of his family perished in Ashgabat’s massive earthquake of 1948. He was raised first in an orphanage and later in the home of his distant relatives. Mr. Niyazov graduated from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute in 1966 with a degree in power engineering and began work at the Bezmeinskaya Power Station near Ashgabat. In 1962 Mr. Niyazov became a member of the Communist Party. In 1985 he was appointed Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Turkmenistan and was subsequently elected First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan, the highest state and party post. On January 13, 1990, Mr. Niyazov became Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, the supreme legislative body in the republic. On October 27, 1990, Mr. Niyazov was elected the first president of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic. Under his leadership, on October 27, 1991, Turkmenistan proclaimed its sovereignty from the Soviet Union. In a second presidential election held on June 21, 1991, which was necessitated by the adoption of the new constitution, Mr. Niyazov was elected President of the Republic of Turkmenistan. Mr. Niyazov is also Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Chairman of the Democratic Party of Turkmenistan. Mr. Niyazov’s success as President of Turkmenistan has been attributed to his extensive and productive work in stabilizing the economic situation of the country. He has established Turkmenistan’s international prestige and has displayed concern for the people’s well-being. Following his election, one of the first resolutions to be adopted was a decree on the free use of water, gas and electricity by the people of Turkmenistan. As founder and president of the Association of Turkmens of the World, Mr. Niyazov holds the official title of Turkmenbashi, Leader of all Ethnic Turkmens. Mr. Niyazov was awarded the Magtymguly International Prize for achieving the aim of Magtymguly, the great Turkmen poet and philosopher:  the establishment of an independent state of Turkmenistan. Mr. Niyazov is married and has two children. He is interested in poetry, philosophy, history and music. Mr. Niyazov died in December 2006.