Turkmenistan adopts multi-party system

Turkmenistan has formed the Party of Manufacturers and Entrepreneurs. The organization committee to establish the new party was formed in April. The foundation assembly was attended by 300 delegates in Ashkhabad, News Kazakhstan reports.

Chief specialist of the party Orazmammed Mammedov became the Chairman of the Central Council. The party’s charter and program were approved. Any Turkmen citizen aged 18 may join the political party.

Turkmenistan used to have only one political party, the Democratic Party, formed by President Saparmurat Niyazov in 1991. Turkmenbashi headed it until his death in late 2006. New President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov became the party’s leader in 2007. He was reelected in February 2012.

Turkmenistan passed the law on political parties in January 2012.