All eyes will be on who gets the nod as chair of the Senate, since that person would be in a position to succeed Berdymukhamedov in the event of his sudden death or incapacitation.
Between the unacknowledged pandemic and economic devastation, protestors said the situation at home is so dire that inaction seems worse than government reprisals.
The idea that the president is concerned for the health and wellbeing of his people is undermined by the merry song-and-dance on which he has led the WHO.