Public discussion on the Constitutional Law on a two-chamber Turkmen parliament is open
A public debate on the draft of the Constitutional Law “On Introduction of Amendments and Additions to the Constitution of Turkmenistan”, which envisages the switching to a two-chamber parliament system, has started in Turkmenistan. Turkmen media published the draft of the law on Monday. Under the draft law, a new bicameral body of the country will be called the National Council of Turkmenistan (Parliament) and is a representative body that exercises legislative power. The National Council will have two chambers – the Halk Maslakhaty and the Mejlis. The Halk Maslakhaty will have 56 members in total – 8 from each of the country’s provinces (velayat), 8 from the city of Ashgabat, a city with the rights of the velayat, who are elected by secret ballot at relevant meetings of the Halk Maslakhaty of velayat and the city of Ashgabat, and 8 nominated by the President of Turkmenistan. In addition, each ex-president of Turkmenistan will be a member of the Halk Maslakhaty except he refuses to use this right. A citizen of Turkmenistan, having reached the age of 30, with higher education, and permanently residing in Turkmenistan for the past ten years, will be eligible to be elected and appointed as a member of the Halk Maslakhaty. The second chamber of the National Council of Turkmenistan – the Mejlis – will consist of 125 deputies who are elected in electoral districts with an approximately equal number of voters. A citizen of Turkmenistan, having reached the age of 25 and permanently residing in Turkmenistan for the past ten years will be elected as a deputy of the Mejlis. The terms of office of members and deputies of the National Council of Turkmenistan are 5 years. At the same time, the election of the same person at the same time as a member or deputy in both boards of the National Parliament is prohibited. The Halk Maslakhaty and the Mejlis will elect the chairmen of the Halk Maslahaty and the Mejlis, their deputies from among their members and form their own committees and commissions. In case the president of Turkmenistan is unable to perform his duties for whatever reason, the chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty will temporarily assume the power until the presidential elections. A member of the Halk Maslakhaty and a deputy of the Mejlis cannot at the same time to hold the position of a member of the Cabinet of Ministers, a khyakim (head of the province administration), archin, judge and prosecutor. In addition, members of the Halk Maslakhaty and deputies of the Mejlis cannot be brought to administrative and criminal liability, arrested or otherwise restricted in freedom without the consent of the relevant chamber. The Halk Maslakhaty has the powers as follow: decide on the holding of popular referenda; upon the proposal of the President of Turkmenistan, consider the issues of appointment and dismissal of the chairman of the Supreme Court of Turkmenistan, the Prosecutor General, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Justice; award the President of Turkmenistan with state awards, to assign him military and other state ranks; solve the issue of changing the state border of Turkmenistan; and solve other issues. The authority of the Mejlis includes following: consider the issue of approving the State budget; call the election of the President of Turkmenistan, deputies of the Mejlis, members of the local Halk Maslakhaty; at the proposal of the head of state, choose an authorized representative for human rights in Turkmenistan; and other issues. The draft of the Constitutional Law will be finalized taking into account the proposals that will come during its public discussion, and will be submitted for consideration of a meeting of the Halk Maslakhaty this fall. It is envisaged to enter into force on January 1, 2021.
