National Council of Turkmenistan

The National Council of Turkmenistan (Turkmen: Türkmenistanyň Milli Geňeşi) was Turkmenistan's bicameral national legislative body or parliament from March 2021 until January 2023. The upper chamber was the People's Council (Halk Maslahaty) and the lower chamber was the Assembly (Mejlis). The National Council was created in March 2021 following election of members to the upper chamber, which in turn followed a constitutional amendment in late 2020.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Type

Bicameral

Houses

• Upper: Halk Maslahaty
• Lower: Mejlis

Founded

• 24 October 2020 (created)
• 1 January 2021 (start of work)

Disbanded21 January 2023

Quick facts National Council of Turkmenistan Türkmenistanyň Milli Geňeşi (Turkmen), Type ...

National Council of Turkmenistan Türkmenistanyň Milli Geňeşi (Turkmen)
Type
Type	Bicameral
Houses	Upper: Halk Maslahaty Lower: Mejlis
History
Founded	24 October 2020 (created) 1 January 2021 (start of work)
Disbanded	21 January 2023
Preceded by	Unicameral Mejlis of Turkmenistan, 1992–2020
Succeeded by	Unicameral Mejlis of Turkmenistan, 21 January 2023
Leadership
Chairman of Halk Maslahaty	Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow (Independent), since 30 November 2007
Chairman of Mejlis	Dünýägözel Gulmanowa (DPT), since 6 April 2023
Structure
Seats	181 56 senators in Halk Maslahaty 125 deputies in Mejlis
Halk Maslahaty political groups	Independents (45)   Appointed by the President (8)   Democratic Party (3)
Mejlis political groups	Government (107)   Democratic Party (65)   Agrarian Party (24)   Party of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (18) Supported by (18)   Independents (18) Opposition (0)
Elections
Halk Maslahaty voting system	48 seats were elected by secret ballot by the members of the regional branches of the Halk Maslahaty 8 seats were appointed by the President
Mejlis voting system	Plurality voting
Last Halk Maslahaty election	28 March 2021
Last Mejlis election	26 March 2023
Next Halk Maslahaty election	March 2026
Next Mejlis election	March 2028
Meeting place
People's Council Building
Assembly Building

Close

In January 2023 both chambers of parliament proposed to abolish the Halk Maslahaty as a legislative organ, to reform it as an independent body, and to place all legislative authority with a unicameral Mejlis.^[6][7][8] The National Council was accordingly abolished by unanimous vote of its members in a joint session of the People's Council and Assembly on 21 January 2023.^[9][10]