Turkmenistan politics

There’s a new Berdimuhamedov at the helm in Turkmenistan. What will the “son of the nation” do with the presidency?

Although all indications are that Serdar intends to follow in his father’s footsteps, Turkmenistan is politically entering uncharted waters.

It may turn out that Serdar is just like his father, and nothing will change in Turkmenistan. But new opportunities for engagement amid leadership change are worth exploring.

President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov did not explicitly state he would step down, but the implication seemed clear when he called for early elections and said it was time to open the way for "young leaders."

Power consolidation and the institutional transformations of Turkmenistan’s assembly bodies.

Serdar Berdimuhamedov will be joining the Cabinet of Ministers, another step on the road to a dynasty. 

Turkmen at home and abroad rarely protest, but botched responses to natural disasters and the pandemic have led to a surge of activism.

Given Serdar’s trajectory, it’s hard not to believe he’s heading for the presidency once day.

What’s become of the students arrested by Turkmen authorities in 2016-17 at the height of the Gülen crackdown?

A summer of rumors may be coming to an end, but what happens if Berdimuhamedov does die?

The key is to look past the absurdity and pay attention to the impact.