Turkmenistan’s President Expands His Father’s Powers

Turkmenistan’s president has appointed his father to head the country’s new top representative body, further expanding his influence in the gas-rich Central Asian nation.

Serdar Berdymukhamedov, 41, who was elected last March to succeed his father, Gurbanguly, named him the chairman of Halk Maslahaty, or People’s Council, late Saturday. State television showed 2,000 council members standing and applauding the president’s order.

The president also signed a law granting his father the title of “national leader of the Turkmen people”.

Berdymukhamedov Sr. initiated the establishment of the People’s Council as the upper house of parliament in 2021 and previously served as its chairman. On Saturday, the council was transformed into the highest representative body.

The People’s Council is not elected and consists of senior officials and representatives of regions, trade unions and public organizations. The parliament will be re-elected as one chamber in a vote scheduled for Thursday.

The restructured People’s Council has the power to amend the country’s constitution and set the main guidelines for domestic and foreign policy, giving Gurbangul Berdymukhamedov, 65, powerful leverage to shape the course of the country.

The elder Berdymukhamedov has ruled the isolated former Soviet state since the death of his eccentric predecessor Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006. Niyazov, who led the desert nation as a communist leader during the Soviet era and then became president after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, renamed January after himself, asked schoolchildren to study his tomes and ordered citizens to Call him “Turkmenbashi”, or the father of all Turkmen.

Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov abolished Niyazov’s cult of personality and established his own, earning the title of Arkadag or Protector and displaying his physical prowess with stunts such as driving sports cars, shooting shots and lifting golden weight bars to win Applause from the cabinet.

Turkmenistan’s economy is largely driven by its abundant natural gas reserves, with China replacing Russia as the main customer.

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