Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow

Gurbanguly was a leader in Turkmenistan.

He used to be a dentist. He worked to help people with their teeth.

Later, he became the president. He held this job for many years. He made some new rules for schools. He also brought back old names for months.

Some people say his rule was not fair. They say he had too much power.

Now, his son is the president. His father is still a leader in the land. He is called the National Leader.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is a leader from Turkmenistan.

Before he was a leader, he was a dentist. He studied medicine and worked with teeth. Later, he joined the government. He served as the Minister of Health in 1997. He also worked as a deputy chair in 2001.

In 2006, the leader of the country died. Berdimuhamedow became the acting president. He won the next election with 89% of the vote.

He changed some old rules. He brought back the old names for months. He also made school longer for kids. He gave money back to many elderly people.

However, some groups say his rule was not fair. They say he had too much power over life. They say he did not allow different ideas.

In 2022, he stepped down from being president. His son, Serdar, won the election. Now, Serdar is the president. Gurbanguly is the chairman of the People's Council. His son also calls him the National Leader.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is a famous political leader from Turkmenistan.

He is known for many different roles in his country. He was once a dentist who studied medical science. Later, he became a high-ranking government official. Today, he holds a very important position in the People's Council. He is also called the "National Leader" of the Turkmen people. This title gives him a lot of influence over the nation.

His career moved from medicine into the world of politics.

In 1997, he served as the Minister of Health. By 2001, he was a deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. He was in charge of health, science, education, and sports. In 2006, the previous president died. This led to Berdimuhamedow becoming the acting president. He then won the 2007 election with 89% of the votes.

Berdimuhamedow made many changes when he first took power. He reversed some of the older, strange rules from before. For example, he brought back the traditional names for months and days. He also made school last for ten years instead of nine. He helped many elderly people by restoring their pensions. He even opened internet cafés in the capital city, Ashgabat. These steps helped change how daily life worked for many people.

Even with these changes, his leadership was very strict.

Many rights groups say his government was very repressive. They claim he and his associates had unlimited power over public life. Reporters and groups that watch freedom say the country is very closed. For instance, the internet is heavily checked by the government. In 2017, his country had very low scores for political rights. He ruled with an authoritarian style for many years.

In 2022, a big change happened in the government. Berdimuhamedow stepped down as president on March 19, 2022. His son, Serdar, won the election to become the new president. This made Turkmenistan the first country in Central Asia to have a dynastic system. This means power passed from a father to a son. Now, Serdar is the president and his father leads the People's Council. This new system continues to shape the future of Turkmenistan.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow is a prominent political figure from Turkmenistan.

He served as the second president of the nation from 2006 to 2022. Currently, he holds the position of chairman of the People's Council. This body is the upper chamber of the Turkmen parliament. In 2023, his son, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, gave him the title of "National Leader of the Turkmen People." This role allows him to speak on any public matter. It also provides him with legal immunity and government financial support. His life reflects a journey from medical science to absolute political power.

Berdimuhamedow was born on June 29, 1957, in Babarap.

His father, Mälikguly, was a senior officer in the Interior Ministry. His grandfather, Berdimuhamed Annaýew, served in the Red Army during World War II. Before entering politics, Berdimuhamedow was a dentist. He graduated from the Turkmen State Medical Institute in 1979. He later earned a PhD in medical sciences in Moscow. By 1992, he was teaching at the dentistry faculty of the medical institute. He eventually became the head of the dentistry center for the Ministry of Health.

His political rise began under President Saparmurat Niyazov. In 1997, Berdimuhamedow was appointed Minister of Health. By 2001, he became a deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers. In this role, he managed health, science, education, and sports. In 2004, Niyazov suspended his salary for three months. This happened because healthcare workers were not being paid. Following Niyazov's death on December 21, 2006, the State Security Council named Berdimuhamedow acting president. To allow him to run for office, the People's Council removed a constitutional rule. He then won the 2007 election with 89% of the vote.

During his presidency, Berdimuhamedow introduced several policy changes.

He reversed many of Niyazov's more unusual rules. He restored the traditional names for months and days of the week. He also extended compulsory education from nine to ten years. He re-introduced foreign languages and sports into the school curriculum. Furthermore, he restored pensions for 100,000 elderly citizens. He even opened internet cafés with free web access in the capital, Ashgabat. These actions helped reform the education and health systems.

Despite these reforms, Berdimuhamedow maintained an authoritarian regime.

Rights groups describe Turkmenistan as one of the most repressive countries in the world. They claim the government exercises unlimited power over public life. Human Rights Watch noted that the regime does not tolerate alternative political expression. In 2017, the country had some of the lowest scores for political and civil rights. Reporters Without Borders ranked Turkmenistan near the bottom of the Press Freedom Index. In 2017, it ranked 178th out of 180 countries. The government also heavily censors internet access.

In 2022, a significant transition occurred in the Turkmen government.

Berdimuhamedow stepped down as president on March 19, 2022. His son, Serdar, won a snap election to succeed him. This event made Turkmenistan the first Central Asian country to use a dynastic system. This means political power passed directly from father to son. In January 2023, the People's Council was re-formed as the top leadership body. Serdar reappointed his father as the chairman of this council. This established a new structure for the nation's leadership.

Berdimuhamedow's leadership is also noted for its unique cultural elements. He served as the president of the National Olympic Committee of Turkmenistan. He also showed a strong interest in Central Asian shepherd dogs. In 2020, he unveiled a golden statue of this breed. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he received a satiric Ig Nobel Prize. This prize was given for the way politicians affect life and death. His reign has left a lasting impact on the political landscape of Central Asia. His family continues to hold the highest levels of authority in the country.