ASHGABAT – Turkmenistan's authoritarian president, who has an unchallenged hold on power, on Friday signed a constitutional change to expand the country’s parliament to two chambers.President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said the move was “yet another important step toward democratizing our country.”But the newly created upper chamber of parliament membership won't be chosen by voters.
The leadership of each of the country’s regions will appoint members, and a seat is guaranteed for any former president. The current unicameral parliament, which will become the lower chamber, is chosen in elections.