Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has been sworn in as the new president of Turkmenistan in an election that has been declared unfair by international observers. Berdymukhamedov, who took over as acting head of state when Saparmurat Niyazov died in December, won 89 per cent of the February 11 vote, the head of the election commission said on Wednesday. The election was described as "not free and fair" by the head of a group of parliamentarians from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, who observed it. Human rights groups, Western diplomats and exiled Turkmen opposition leaders also criticised Sunday's election as rigged. But it has been seen by others as an opportunity to begin gradual change. Berdymukhamedov has called for limited reforms, including allowing access to the internet, reorganisation of the education system and getting more doctors and hospitals after two decades of authoritarian rule by Niyazov.