Last Sunday, the first elections of members of the Halk Maslahaty Milli Gengesh, the bicameral parliament of Turkmenistan, took place.

 Recall that in September 2020, the Halk Maslahaty made changes and additions to the Constitution of Turkmenistan by a special law, according to which a bicameral parliament, the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan, was created in the country.  It will consist of an upper chamber - Halk Maslahaty and a lower, legislative chamber - Mejlis.  Previously, the Halk Maslahaty was the "highest representative body", and the Mejlis was the parliament.

 The elections of members of the Halk Maslahaty of Milli Gengesh, held the day before, were first held at the meetings of the Halk Maslahaty of the regions and the city of Ashgabat by secret ballot and on the basis of indirect suffrage.

 In total, 231 members of the halk maslahaty from the regions and the city of Ashgabat, who were registered by the election commissions, took part in the elections.  There are 37 electors in the Ahal region, 39 in the Balkan region, 39 in the Dashoguz region, 38 in the Lebap region, 39 in the Mary region and 39 in the city of Ashgabat.

 Elections of members of the Halk Maslahaty were held on a competitive basis - 112 candidates registered by the CEC ran for 48 seats.  Thus, 2-3 candidates applied for one place.  About 26% of candidates are women, that testifies to the great importance - attached in the country to gender equality and the political activity of women.

 Independent monitoring of the electoral process was carried out by 440 national observers from political parties, public organizations, groups of citizens and nominated by candidates, who ensured that the elections were held in an open, transparent manner and in accordance with the law.

 The transition to a bicameral structure of the legislative body - the Halk Maslahaty and the Mejlis - is in line with world and national democratic practice, generally recognized principles and norms of international law.

 According to the Central Election Commission, by the time the polling stations were closed, 98.7% of the members of the halk maslahaty of the regions and the city of Ashgabat had taken part in the elections.  Election commissions of the regions and the city of Ashgabat have completed the counting of votes.

 Thus, the CEC recognized the elections as valid.  In accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Code, the election results will be announced in the near future.

 In total, the Halk Maslahaty will include 56 people - 8 members from each region and the capital.  Another 8 members of the Halk Maslahaty will be appointed by the President of Turkmenistan.

 A citizen of Turkmenistan who has reached the age of 30, has a higher education and has permanently resided in Turkmenistan for the previous ten years may be elected and appointed to the Halk Maslahaty.

 Members of the Mejlis will remain in office until the next elections, which will be held in 2023.

 The term of office of members and deputies of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan is five years.  The Constitutional Law "On Amendments and Additions to the Constitution of Turkmenistan" entered into force on January 1, 2021.