One-Man Rule

A recent report by US-based NGO Freedom House has identified Turkmenistan as a country almost entirely devoid of even basic democratic institutions, giving it a score of 6.96 (with 7 the worst possible). The report adds that President Saparmurat has fashioned a 'lavish personality cult', and agrees with our interpretation that there is little or no chance of any opposition threat to his rule. As such, stability is assured in the short-term, though without any system for succession, the potential for chaos after Niyazov's death

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