Turkmenistan: Candidates Prepare for Local Elections

More than 12,450 candidates will contest 6,220 seats on Turkmenistan's local legislative councils later this month. Elections are due to be held on July 26.

"All candidates will be given equal rights and opportunities to present their proposals [to the] electorate. Voters also have the right to free and full discussion of a candidate's political, business and personal qualities," the semi-official Turkmenistan.ru reported on July 2.

Some 1,000 domestic election monitors are set to observe the poll, the report added.

However, the electoral process in the one-party state is far from transparent, experts say.

Polls are regularly blighted by official interference in the nomination and registration of candidates.