ASHGABAT, February 11 (RIA Novosti) - Turkmenistan is holding presidential elections Sunday to replace late authoritarian ruler Saparmurat Niyazov.
Niyazov died of heart failure in late December 2006 aged 66. He ruled the country with an iron fist for more than two decades, forcing many prominent opposition activists into exile.
The polling stations in the republic opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (03:00 a.m. GMT) and will close at 6:00 p.m. (1:00 p.m. GMT).
Six candidates are running for the presidency but acting president Kurbankuli Berdymukhammedov is considered to be the favorite in the presidential race.
As of 2:00 p.m. local time (09:00 a.m. GMT), 85.18% of registered voters had come to the polls, the republic's central election commission said.
