# Saparmurat Niyazov First president of independent [[Turkmenistan]] (1991–2006), styled "Türkmenbaşy"; an extreme personality cult — gold statues, a renamed calendar, his Ruhnama as state scripture — and a textbook of post-Soviet sultanism. > [!info] Stub — created 2026-06-21 as a link target for [[Dictators in World History Hub]]. Expand with biography, path to power, and right-wing reception.