Snap presidential elections in Turkmenistan will be held on March 12 this year, Bezirgen Karaev, assistant chairman of the Turkmen Central Election Commission, told RIA Novosti, RIA Novosti reports.

At an extraordinary meeting of the upper house of parliament, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said that it is necessary to give way to the government of the state to young leaders.

According to the Turkmen media, in this regard, the chairman of the Central Commission for Elections and Referendums was instructed to start relevant work in accordance with the Constitution and legislation of Turkmenistan.

In accordance with the instructions of the President of Turkmenistan, the country's Central Election Commission has begun preparations for snap presidential elections to be held on March 12, the assistant to the head of the Turkmen Central Election Commission told RIA Novosti by telephone.

A citizen of Turkmenistan who was born in Turkmenistan, is not younger than forty years of age, speaks the state language, has been permanently residing and working in Turkmenistan for the previous fifteen years, may be elected President of Turkmenistan.

The President of Turkmenistan is elected directly by the people of Turkmenistan for a period of seven years and takes office from the moment he takes the oath. The last presidential election in Turkmenistan was held in 2017. By law, the next elections were to be held in 2024.