Turkmenistan on Sunday holds parliamentary polls touted by officials as proof the energy-rich state is shedding its dictatorial past, but Western observers have yet to be convinced.
Over 2.5 million people are eligible to vote in this ex-Soviet state that for 21 years was in the grip of eccentric dictator Saparmurat Niyazov, better known as Turkmenbashi, until he died two years ago.
The vote takes place under a new constitution approved in September that is intended to increase parliament's powers and raises the number of seats from 65 to 125.
"This campaign stands out for its pluralism, openness and the activeness of the citizens," an election official said, requesting anonymity.
But diplomats here and human rights experts abroad say Niyazov still casts a shadow, despite promises of openness by President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who at 51 is relatively young by comparison with other Central Asian autocrats.
Niyazov's gold statue still towers over the desert nation's capital, rotating to face the sun, despite some moves to dismantle his personality cult.
And the elections are unlikely to get a clean bill of health from the West, not least as all candidates have stressed support for the president while campaigning.
"The facade has changed but the foundations remain the same," said a Western diplomat, who requested anonymity.
"Power rests entirely with the president. His photo appears every day on the front of the papers. He strictly controls the economy and the whole of the media," the diplomat added.
There are clear differences from most other elections around the world.
Ninety percent of the 288 candidates come from the Democratic Party set up by Niyazov in place of the Communist Party, with the other 10% coming from so-called "initiative groups" that have little clout.
All candidates are funded by the state, with a ban on other funding.
Western journalists have been refused permission to cover the vote. Foreign election observers will mainly come from the Commonwealth of Independent States, an ex-Soviet group with little credibility.
Three observers are attending from the Western-dominated Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, but don't plan to issue an evaluation.
On Dec. 3, the European Union's special envoy for Central Asia, Pierre Morel, hailed Turkmenistan's efforts to hold "more open elections" at a meeting with the president and noted an "impressive opening up of the country."
Boasting enormous natural gas reserves, Turkmenistan is central to European efforts to diversify gas supplies away from Russia.
The Turkmen leader has given this his cautious backing, saying last month he supported "an open-door policy and the diversification of our hydrocarbon export routes."
Turkmen citizens seem cautiously optimistic about moves towards more openness, such as the opening of Internet cafes.
A plan announced this week to rewrite the national anthem removing its several references to Turkmenbashi is said to have been prompted by numerous appeals from citizens.
Ashgabat resident Guzel, a 24-year-old student, highlighted the freeing up of foreign travel and the overturning of Niyazov's refusal to recognize foreign educational qualifications.
"The country has changed," she said.
"My friends have left to study abroad and their qualifications will be recognized. We have Internet access," she said.
But Sunday's vote was dismissed by Moscow-based human rights activist Vitaly Ponomaryov, of the group Memorial.
"It is easier to travel out of Turkmenistan and there is less risk of being arrested for contacts with foreigners," Ponomaryov said.
"But there is still no opposition or independent media. And the view still prevails that any criticism of the regime amounts to treason. There aren't the conditions for a free election," he said.