Turkmen Local Elections Set for July

Turkmenistan’s Central Election Committee has set July 26 as the date for election to local “gengeshes” or councils, the state website Turkmenistan.gov reports.

These local councils were the subject of a reform sponsored by President Gurbanguly Berdymuhammedov last year which means members elected in July will serve five years, instead of the previous three.

The idea behind the legislation was said to be to make local authorities more accountable and independent, and give them the right to offer recommendations and new legislation to the national parliament, the Mejlis. (See Decentralisation Plans in Turkmenistan.)

At the moment, the remit of gengeshes is confined to setting local budgets and taxes, and addressing administrative questions relating to water, land and other local affairs.