Presidential elections were held in Turkmenistan on 12 February 2012.[1] They were Turkmenistan's fourth presidential elections and decided who would be the country's president for the next five years. Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow won with 97% of the vote.
Aina Abayeva, English teacher nominated by the Civil Society Movement. Her request to participate was rejected because the organisation that nominated her was an unregistered NGO. Its lack of legal status meant that it did not have the authority to make such a nomination.[7]
Campaigning started in October 2011.[8] During the campaign many of the candidates running against the incumbent president expressed their support for him, thus giving rise to suspicions that his victory was more or less guaranteed.[3] According to an expert from the Chatham House, "the vote [was] a democratic sham" and an example of "faux democracy".[9]
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