Turkmenistan: Presidential term extended from 5 to 7 years

A respective law was signed by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow at the meeting of the Council of Elders in the capital Ashgabat, the government’s official portal said.

Speaking at the annual session of the Council of the Elders, which brings together community leaders, lawmakers and members of the government, Berdymukhamedov said the amendments were drafted "by all of our people, based on multiple requests from our citizens and political parties" as well as unnamed international experts

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, born in 1957, a dentist by profession, served in the government under President Saparmurat Niyazov as Minister of Health beginning in 1997 and as Deputy Prime Minister beginning in 2001. He became Acting President following Niyazov's death on December 21st, 2006 and subsequently won the February presidential election in 2007.

In 2012, Berdymukhamedov was re-elected for his second term in office with 97 percent of the vote./.