Turkmenistan's leader set to win re-election

[...] the state's ability to dispense that largesse has come under intense strain as the price for natural gas — Turkmenistan's only significant export commodity — has plummeted.

[...] a few years ago, Turkmenistan could count on selling gas to China, Russia and Iran.

The economic crisis triggered by the collapse in gas revenue has led to devaluation of the national currency, the manat, and shortages for many staples including cooking oil and sugar.

Because of the intense secrecy which the government imposes on economic data, there are few ways of being certain about the depth of the problem.