Turkmenistan drafts new constitution extending presidential term

A commission led by Turkmen President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has drafted a new constitution which extends the presidential term to seven years from five and removes the upper age limit on candidates for presidency. The move solidifies Berdymukhamedov's already sweeping powers at a time when the gas-rich Central Asian nation is suffering from a sharp drop in export revenues. Turkmenistan's rubber stamp parliament may pass the new constitution, published by main state newspaper Neutral Turkmen