Populism and Technologies of Political Power in Turkmenistan

This entry explores how the government of Turkmenistan employs elements of populism to maintain control of the country and prevent grassroots populist movements that may challenge the regime. The analysis addresses three established theoretical drivers of populism: charismatic leadership, economic insecurity, and cultural backlash. Turkmenistan is one of the few remaining totalitarian states, which began with the charismatic leadership of the first president, Saparmurat Niyazov, following the Soviet Union’s collapse. The personality cult continued under the current de facto leader, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who has employed some populist strategies to establish and maintain his personal leadership and control over political institutions. There is marked wealth inequality in the country, with the majority of the population facing economic hardships while the government provides only basic necessities. Economic mismanagement, corruption, and inflation further exacerbate the economic challenges faced by the population. This entry highlights that instances of protests in Turkmenistan are rare, but often economically motivated. Significant protests have been related to pension cuts, school fee increases, and macroeconomic downturns. The government’s response to these economically motivated protests has been repressive rather than conciliatory. Moreover, the new president, Serdar Berdimuhamedov, unlike his father Gurbanguly, appears unable to use charismatic leadership or cultural identity to his advantage. Turkmenistan’s case serves as a cautionary reminder that attempting to conventionally define “populism” based on experiences of established democracies can oversimplify complexities of political power and may fail to account for how authoritarian regimes also employ populist tools.