Editing Politics of Turkmenistan (section)

====Chairmen of the Council of Ministers====
*[[Suhan Babayev]] (15 March 1946 – 14 July 1951)
*[[Balysh Ovezov]] (14 July 1951 – 14 January 1958) (first time)
*[[Jumadurdy Karayev]] (14 January 1958 – 20 January 1959)
*[[Balysh Ovezov]] (20 January 1959 – 13 June 1960) (second time)
*[[:ru:Анналиев, Абды Анналиевич |Abdy Annalyýewyç Annalyýew]] (13 June 1960 – 26 March 1963)
*[[Muhammetnazar Gapurow]] (26 March 1963 – 25 December 1969)
*[[:ru:Оразмухамедов, Ораз Назарович |Oraz Nazarowyç Orazmuhammedow]] (25 December 1969 – 17 December 1975)
*[[:ru:Язкулиев, Баллы |Bally Ýazgulyýewyç Ýazgulyýew]] (17 December 1975 – 15 December 1978)
*[[:ru:Каррыев, Чары Союнович |Çary Soýunowyç Garryýew]] (15 December 1978 – 26 March 1985)
*[[Saparmurat Niyazov]] (26 March 1985 – 4 January 1986)
*[[:ru:Ходжамурадов, Аннамурад |Annamurat Hojamyradowyç Hojamyradow]] (4 January 1986 – 17 November 1989)
*[[Han Ahmedow]] (5 December 1989 – 18 May 1992)

Under the 1992 constitution, the president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. Niyazov added the post of chairman of the [[Supreme Soviet]] in January 1990, and was elected as the country's first president that October.  He was the only candidate in Turkmenistan's first presidential elections in 1992.  A 1994 plebiscite extended his term to 2002, and Parliament extended his term indefinitely in 1999.

After Niyazov's death, Deputy Prime Minister for Science and Health [[Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow]] took over, despite the fact that [[Öwezgeldi Ataýew]], the Chairman of the Parliament of Turkmenistan, would be the next in line in the order of succession (allegedly because the prosecutor-general had initiated investigations against Ataýew). The president appoints the deputy chairmen of the cabinet of ministers.

[[2007 Turkmenistan presidential election|A presidential election to replace Niyazov]] was held on 11 February 2007.