- Assembly of Turkmenistan
The Assembly ("Mejlis") is the
legislative branch ofTurkmenistan . It has 50 members, elected for a five-year term in single-seatconstituencies . Only theDemocratic Party of Turkmenistan is legally allowed to be represented in the Assembly, making Turkmenistan asingle-party state . All candidates at the elections belong to this party. The People's Council, the highest representative body, has more than 2,500 members. All candidates at the elections of7 April 2003 (turnout 89.3%) also belonged to the DPT.A 2003 law reduced the power of the Assembly and augmented that of the People's Council. The Assembly can now be legally dissolved by the People's Council, is led by the President, and is no longer able to amend the Constitution. [https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/tx.html] The People's Council was abolished by a new constitution drafted byGurbanguly Berdimuhammedov in 2008, making the Assembly/Mejlis the unicameral (but apparently still "rubberstamp") parliament again.The number of assembly members will be increased to 125. [http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=28836]
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