Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, born on June twenty-ninth, nineteen fifty-seven, is a prominent Turkmen politician and former dentist. He rose to political prominence as the second president of Turkmenistan, serving from two thousand six until two thousand twenty-two. Following a power-sharing arrangement with his son, Serdar, who is the current president, Berdimuhamedow transitioned to the role of chairman of the People's Council of Turkmenistan.

Before ascending to the presidency, Berdimuhamedow held significant positions in the government under President Saparmurat Niyazov, including minister of health in nineteen ninety-seven and deputy cabinet chair in two thousand one. He became acting president after Niyazov's death on December twenty-first, two thousand six, and subsequently won the presidential election in two thousand seven with an overwhelming eighty-nine percent of the vote, facing no meaningful opposition.

His electoral success continued with re-elections in two thousand twelve and two thousand seventeen, where he garnered ninety-seven percent and ninety-seven point seven percent of the votes, respectively. On March twenty-eighth, two thousand twenty-one, he was elected to the People's Council from the Ahal Region, reportedly receiving one hundred percent of the votes from electors. He was unanimously elected chairman of the People's Council on April fourteenth, two thousand twenty-one.

Under Berdimuhamedow's leadership, Turkmenistan has been characterized by an authoritarian regime and a cult of personality. Rights organizations have criticized his government, labeling Turkmenistan as one of the most repressive countries globally, with accusations of his family and associates exercising unchecked power over public life. After stepping down as president on March nineteenth, two thousand twenty-two, he was succeeded by his son, marking a dynastic transition in Central Asian governance.

In January two thousand twenty-three, the People's Council was re-formed as the top leadership body, with Serdar reappointing his father as chairman and bestowing upon him the title of 'National Leader of the Turkmen People.'