Turkmenistan 1992
Turkmenistan was the first of the successor states of the Soviet Union to complete a new constitution. The Supreme Soviet declared independence on October 27, 1991 and swiftly proceeded to draft a new text to replace its Breshnev-era republican constitution. The process by which the new constitution was drafted is rather unclear. There appears to have been a constitutional commission that drafted the initial text. President Niyazov introduced this text in the Supreme Soviet in February 1992. The draft text was published in the press, prompting a three-month period in which the proposals were discussed through letters in newspapers. This limited public discussion does not appear to have influenced the text.
The 175-member Supreme Soviet met again in May 1992 to consider the draft constitution. The elections to the Supreme Soviet in 1990 were contested by an average of 3-4 candidates, but Turkmenistan was the only Soviet republic that did not register any organized opposition groups. The Supreme Soviet made a few changes to the draft before approving it unanimously on May 18, 1992. The constitution came into force the next day.
Mediators did not participate in the drafting of the 1992 constitution. There were no organized boycotts because the government did not permit an organized opposition. The new constitution concentrated power in the hands of President Niyazov, who quickly developed a personality cult, renaming himself 'Turkmenbashi' (father of the Turkmens).