The government of Turkmenistan said 90 per cent of eligible voters had participated in parliamentary elections Sunday , despite boycotts from opposition groups .
Sunday
government turkmenistan say 90 cent eligible voter participate parliamentary election sunday despite boycott opposition group
The government of Turkmenistan said 90 per cent of eligible voters had participated in parliamentary elections <m> Sunday </m> , despite boycotts from opposition groups .
The government of Turkmenistan said 90 per cent of eligible voters had participated in parliamentary elections <m> Sunday </m> , despite boycotts from opposition groups .
The elections , the first since the country adopted a new constitution earlier this year , had 2.5 million eligible voters picking between 288 candidates for 125 seats in the revived parliament .
In another first , the government allowed international observers to oversee the elections .
According to media reports , President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov saw the step as necessary to prove that the oil- and gas-rich nation can meet Western standards of democracy .
But opposition groups boycotted the election .
Groups representing Uzbeks , the nation 's largest minority , complained that there was not a single Uzbek name on the ballots .
Additionally , human rights group argued that recent reforms implemented by Berdymukhamedov 's government were mere window dressing .
A victory by groups with close ties to the administration was expected .
The government claims that seating a new parliament is a major step forward .
Under Berdymukhamedov 's predecessor , laws were rubber-stamped by a group known as the People 's Council , which was loyal to former president Saparmurat Niyazov , also known as Turkmenbaschi , or Leader of all Turkmens .
Niyazov died in 2006 .