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| Turkmenistan elects new president | Turkmenistan elects new president |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Voters in Turkmenistan are going to the polls to choose a successor to late autocratic President Saparmurat Niyazov amid hopes of a political thaw. | Voters in Turkmenistan are going to the polls to choose a successor to late autocratic President Saparmurat Niyazov amid hopes of a political thaw. |
| Six men are vying for the post - the first multi-candidate elections in the gas-rich Central Asian nation. | Six men are vying for the post - the first multi-candidate elections in the gas-rich Central Asian nation. |
| Interim leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is seen as a clear favourite to win the polls. | Interim leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is seen as a clear favourite to win the polls. |
| The government has banned exile opposition politicians from standing, drawing international criticism. | The government has banned exile opposition politicians from standing, drawing international criticism. |
| Niyazov ruled uninterrupted for 21 years in the energy-rich Central Asian country. He died in December last year. | Niyazov ruled uninterrupted for 21 years in the energy-rich Central Asian country. He died in December last year. |
| Hopes of change | Hopes of change |
| Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is seen a clear favourite | Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov is seen a clear favourite |
| Polling stations opened at 0800 local time (0300 GMT) and will close at 1800 (1300 GMT). | Polling stations opened at 0800 local time (0300 GMT) and will close at 1800 (1300 GMT). |
| All six of Niyazov's potential successors are members of Turkmenistan's only political party that was created by the late leader. | All six of Niyazov's potential successors are members of Turkmenistan's only political party that was created by the late leader. |
| But Mr Berdymukhamedov, the former health minister, is the clear favourite, the BBC's Central Asian correspondent Natalia Antelava says. | But Mr Berdymukhamedov, the former health minister, is the clear favourite, the BBC's Central Asian correspondent Natalia Antelava says. |
| She says that even the head of the country's central election commission has publicly vowed to work to ensure Mr Berdymukhamedov's victory. | |
| Q&A: Turkmenistan votes | Q&A: Turkmenistan votes |
| "We're not voting on the programmes because they are all the same," one Turkmen man told Reuters news agency, as he went to vote. | |
| "Which one promised to pay a pension? That's the one I want to vote for," said an ethnic Russian woman in her 50s. | |
| Like the other contenders, Mr Berdymukhamedov pledges to follow in the footsteps of the late president. | Like the other contenders, Mr Berdymukhamedov pledges to follow in the footsteps of the late president. |
| However, he has also promised unlimited access to the internet, better education and higher pensions. | However, he has also promised unlimited access to the internet, better education and higher pensions. |
| Only 1% of Turkmenistan's five million people currently have internet access, and the nation's education system is presently based almost entirely on Niyazov's book, Rukhnama, our correspondent says. | Only 1% of Turkmenistan's five million people currently have internet access, and the nation's education system is presently based almost entirely on Niyazov's book, Rukhnama, our correspondent says. |
| But after two decades of living under one of the world's most isolated and repressive governments, many voters see this election as a first step towards much needed change, our correspondent adds. | But after two decades of living under one of the world's most isolated and repressive governments, many voters see this election as a first step towards much needed change, our correspondent adds. |
| Officials results are expected on Wednesday. | Officials results are expected on Wednesday. |