On September 15, 2025, the Central Election Commission of Russia announced that Rustam Minnikhanov had won the election for the head of the Republic of Tatarstan, securing 88.09% of the vote. The results were confirmed after 100% of the ballots were counted, according to RIA Novosti.

Four candidates ran in the election. In addition to Minnikhanov, who represented the United Russia party, the race included Hafiz Mirgalimov (Communist Party), Vitaly Smirnov (Party of Pensioners), and Ruslan Yusupov (LDPR).

At 68 years old, Minnikhanov has been leading Tatarstan since 2010. Prior to that, he served as the republic’s Prime Minister from 2005 to 2010. He was re-elected in both 2015 and 2020.

In January 2023, Minnikhanov signed a constitutional amendment officially renaming the position as "Head" or "Rais" of the republic.

Throughout his tenure, Minnikhanov has received several state awards, including the Turkmenistan "Garaşsyzlyk" (Independence) Order in 2021 for his contributions to interregional cooperation.

Tatarstan continues to play a strategic role in fostering Russian-Turkmen relations at the regional level. According to Turkmenistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the republic holds a special place among Russian regions due to its strong industrial base and deep-rooted historical ties with the Turkmen people. Cooperation continues to grow in sectors such as industry, trade, transport, and agriculture.