The post of President of the Turkmenistan SSR was introduced in the second half of 1990, before independence and the official adoption of the new constitution of the independent Turkmenistan. Niyazov had been the only candidate in the October 1990 elections, in which it was reported 98.3% of voters voted for him. After Turkmenistan gained independence as a result of the collapse of the USSR, Niyazov proposed to the Supreme Council that national elections should be held.