Assembly of Turkmenistan


The Assembly is the legislative branch of Turkmenistan. It has 125 members, elected for five-year terms in single-seat constituencies.

History

Originally, it shared power with the People's Council. Since 2018, the People's Council has been restored as a parliamentary body, an arrangement that will be formalized in 2020.
A 2003 law reduced the power of the Assembly and augmented that of the People's Council. This meant that until 2008 the Assembly could be legally dissolved by the People's Council, was led by the President, and no longer able to amend the Constitution.
The People's Council was demoted and reorganized into the Council of Elders by a new constitution drafted by Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow in 2008, making the Assembly/Mejlis the unicameral parliament again.
However, following the adoption of another new constitution in September 2016, President Berdimuhamedow issued a decree on October 10, 2017 transforming the Council of Elders back into the People's Council. The first meeting of the re-created upper house took place following the 2018 regional and local elections.
The current chairman is Gülşat Mämmedowa from March 30, 2018. She succeeded Akja Nuberdiyeva.

Powers and duties

The Constitution of Turkmenistan stipulates that the assembly: