The son of dictator Berdimuchamedov becomes the new president of Turkmenistan | Abroad

Turkmenistan has been ruled by Gurbanguly Berdimuchamedov since December 2006. He has built a personality cult around himself under the name of “Arkadag”, or protector. He likes to show off his physical strength by performing stunts, like shooting a target while riding a bike, driving a sports car through a volcano crater, or lifting a barbell (without weights) to the applause of his cabinet.

Economically, Turkmenistan depends mainly on its large gas reserves. Under Gurbanguly, China replaced Russia as the main gas buyer. The country gained independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, but no election since the country’s inception has been considered fair. The country is also difficult to access for foreigners.

Gurbanguly, 64, announced the “elections” last month, saying the country should be led by young people. In Turkmenistan, there is also a minimum age for presidential candidates: by law, they must be at least 40 years old. Gurbanguly’s son Serdar recently celebrated his 40th birthday.

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In total, there were nine presidential candidates in Saturday’s election. After Serdar, academic staff Khyrdyr Nunnayev received the most votes: 11%. It took longer than usual for the results to be announced; Authorities said on Sunday they needed more time to count the votes. Normally, Turkmenistan announces the preliminary results the day after the elections. This was the case in 2017, for example, when the dictator Gurbanguly was again “elected” with 97% of the votes.

Serdar Berdimukhamedov has already held several important government posts. Most recently, he served as the country’s Deputy Prime Minister, reporting directly to his father. “My main objective is to continue the glorious path of development built during thirty years of independence and to successfully implement policies that contribute to a high level of social conditions for the people,” the new president said in a television address. Former dictator Gurbanguly remains at the head of the Turkmen parliament.

American-British talk show host John Oliver, who presents American Last Week Tonight, previously shed light on the sometimes somewhat bizarre ways in which dictator Gurbanguly Berdimuchamedov tried to show his strength: