People's Council of Turkmenistan
The People's Council of Turkmenistan (, ]; "People's Council") is the upper chamber of Turkmenistan's Parliament, the "National Council" (). It consists of 56 members, 48 elected from the five provinces and the capital city of Ashgabat, and 8 appointed by the president. History. The Halk Maslahaty was originally the highest representative body in Turkmenistan (Article 45 of the 1992 Constitution). It was abolished in the new constitution of 2008. The original council had 2,507 members, some of whom were elected. All candidates at the elections of 7 April 2003 (turnout 89.3%) belonged to the  Democratic Party of Turkmenistan. Like the Assembly of Turkmenistan (the parliament), it was led by the President, who was constitutionally the head of both the legislative and the executive branches of government. Turkmenistan's administration was based on Halk Maslahatys on different levels. Each province (welaýat) of Turkmenistan had its own (originally 80-member, now 40-member) "welaýat halk maslahaty", whose members are elected directly in constituencies. Their influence has been fairly limited even on paper and probably even more so in practice, taking into account that Turkmenistan is a dominant-party state ruled mostly by its president. On lower  administrative levels, district and city "halk maslahaty"s existed, as well. The national-level Halk Maslahaty was abolished when President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow introduced a new constitution in 2008, its powers being returned to the Assembly and the President. In October 2017, however, President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov reorganized the Council of Elders into a new People's Council. In September 2020 the Turkmenistan Parliament adopted a constitutional amendment creating an upper chamber and thus making the Parliament bicameral. The People's Council became the upper chamber. It consists of 56 members, 48 of whom are elected indirectly (i.e., by electors, not by popular  ballot) and 8 of whom are appointed by the president. Together with the previous unicameral parliament, the 125-seat Mejlis, as the lower chamber, the Parliament is now called the National Council (). Election to the upper chamber was held March 28, 2021. Elections to the Mejlis were last held March 25, 2018. Outside observers consider the Turkmen legislature to be a rubber stamp parliament. Results of 2021 election. Turkmen official media reported that 231 out of 240 eligible electors came from the Halk Maslahatys of the five provinces and Ashgabat city, meaning 98.7% of eligible electors participated in the 2021  election. They included 37 from Ahal province, 38 from Lebap province, and 39 each from the other provinces and the city of Ashgabat. One hundred twelve candidates competed for 48 seats. Twenty-seven percent of the winning candidates were women. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow was among candidates elected to the People's Council as a member from Ahal province. He reportedly received 100% of votes from the electors. On 14 April 2021, Berdimuhamedow was unanimously elected chairman of the People's Council. On 14 April 2021, President Berdimuhamedov appointed eight additional members: Kasymguly Babaýew, Guwançmyrat Agaýew, Batyr Orazmämmedow, Dünýägözel Gulmanowa, Merettagan  Taganow, Serdar Gaýypow, Merdan Halnazarow, and Çarygeldi Babanyýazow. Committees. The People's Council is organized into five committees. Chairpersons were elected on 14 April 2021 as follows: