Serdar Berdimuhamedow

Serdar Gurbangulyýewiç Berdimuhamedow (born 22 September 1981) is a Turkmen politician serving as the third and current president of Turkmenistan since 19 March 2022.

Berdimuhamedow had previously served in several other positions within the government of his father, Gurbanguly, the long-standing authoritarian ruler of Turkmenistan.

The father and son entered into a power-sharing arrangement in 2022 whereby they jointly rule an authoritarian system of government in Turkmenistan.

In 2021, he became one of several deputy chairmen in the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan.

The next year, he won 73 percent of the vote in the country's presidential election, considered to be neither free nor fair, succeeding his father's 15-year-long totalitarian tenure as president and making Turkmenistan the first modern country in Central Asia to be ruled by a dynastic system.

Serdar Berdimuhamedow was born on 22 September 1981 in Ashgabat.

He studied at Secondary School No. 43 in Ashgabat from 1987 to 1997.

Between 1997 and 2001, he studied at the Turkmen Agricultural University, graduating as an engineer-technologist.

From July to November 2001, he worked in the Directorate for Foreign Economic Relations of the Food Processing Association, followed by two years of mandatory military service.

Serdar served two years of mandatory military service from 2001 to 2003.

From 2003 to 2008, he worked again at the Food Processing Association in the fruit and vegetable department and in the non-alcoholic beer and wine department.

Between 2008 and 2011, Berdimuhamedow studied at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, earning a diploma in international relations.

During this period he was also assigned to the Turkmen Embassy in Moscow as counselor of embassy.

From 2011 to 2013, he studied at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, earning a post-graduate degree in European and international security affairs.

He was concurrently assigned to the Turkmen Mission to the United Nations in Geneva as a counselor of embassy.

From August to December 2013, he served as head of the European Department of the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From 2013 to 2016 he was deputy director of the State Agency for Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources.

On 18 August 2014, Serdar Berdimuhamedow defended a dissertation at the Turkmen Academy of Sciences to earn the degree of candidate of science.

In July 2015, he was awarded a doctorate in technical sciences.

He was often styled as "the son of the nation" by state media in Turkmenistan.

From 2016 to 2017 he was chairman of the Department of International Information of the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In November 2016, Berdimuhamedow won a seat in the Mejlis representing the 25th parliamentary district centered on Dushak, a town in Ahal Province.

On 27 October 2017, he was promoted from the rank of major to lieutenant colonel.

His promotion ceremony was broadcast on national television.

His branch of service is unknown, but on 7 March 2021, he was shown on national television in uniform wearing the shoulder patch of the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan.

The same video showed him wearing shoulder boards indicating the rank of colonel, and the decree awarding him the honorary title of "Defender of Homeland Turkmenistan" referred to him as a colonel.

On 26 January 2023 the Mejlis of Turkmenistan adopted a resolution promoting Serdar Berdimuhamedov in his role as "supreme commander-in-chief of armed forces" to the rank of general of the army.

He chaired the committee on legislation and norms as of March 2017.

In March 2018, he was re-elected to the Assembly of Turkmenistan with over 90% of the votes cast in his district.

Berdimuhamedow rose to the political spotlight following his appointment as deputy minister of foreign affairs in March 2018.

In January 2019, Berdimuhamedow was shifted to the position of deputy governor of Ahal Province, the native region of most of the Turkmen elite.

In June 2019, Berdimuhamedow was elevated to governor (häkim) of Ahal Province.

In February 2020, Berdimuhamedow was appointed minister of industry and construction materials of Turkmenistan.

On 11 February 2021, Berdimuhamedow was promoted to deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers for innovation and digitization, a new position.

He was simultaneously appointed to the State Security Council and chairman of the Supreme Control Chamber of Turkmenistan.

On 9 July 2021, Berdimuhamedow was relieved of his positions on the State Security Council and Supreme Control Chamber, and as deputy chairman was assigned the economics and finance portfolio with specific responsibility for "economic and banking issues and international financial organizations".

He is chairperson of the Turkmen Alabay Dog Association, and president of the International Ahal Teke Horse Breeding Association.

It was confirmed in February 2022 that Berdimuhamedow was running for an early presidential election on 12 March, fuelling speculation that he would be the successor to his father as President of Turkmenistan.

He won the election with 72.97% of the vote, and became his father's successor as president, establishing a political dynasty.

The election was seen by many international observers as neither free nor fair.