Turkmenistan leader's son wins presidential election

Electoral authorities say the son of Turkmenistan’s leader has won the Central Asian country’s presidential election, after an unusual vote-counting delay

Turkmenistan established a political dynasty Tuesday, as authorities said the son of the Central Asian country's leader won its presidential election after an unusual vote-counting delay.

Serdar Berdymukhamedov was the overwhelming favorite in Saturday's election to lead the gas-rich country and succeed his father Gurbanguly. The central election commission said Serdar Berdymukhamedov won 72.97% of the votes.

His nearest rival in a field of nine candidates was university official Khyrdyr Nunnayev, who won 11%.

There was an unexpected wait for the result, after authorities said Sunday they needed more time to count the votes. Central election commission chairman Gulmyrat Myradov told reporters that votes were still being counted, including those from people living abroad, and that preliminary results would likely be reported Monday.

Turkmenistan typically announces preliminary election results on the following day, such as when the elder Berdymukhamedov won reelection with more than 97% of the vote in 2017.

Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, 64, announced the vote last month, saying the country should be run by younger people. He had been the country's leader since he was first appointed acting president when the eccentric Saparmurat Niyazov died in December 2006.

The elder Berdymukhamedov established a cult of personality with the title Arkadag, or Protector, and was keen to show his physical fitness with stunts including driving sports cars, target shooting and hoisting a gold weightlifting bar to applause from his cabinet. Under his rule, China replaced Russia as the main buyer for Turkmenistan’s vast gas reserves.

Serdar Berdymukhamedov has risen through a series of increasingly prominent government posts and most recently has served as the country’s deputy prime minister, answering directly to his father.