The ruling New Azerbaijan party holds 69 of the 125 seats in Parliament, with most of the rest belonging to small pro-government or independent parties.
On Sunday the polls opened in Azerbaijan to carry out some early parliamentary electionsthe first since the country regained full control of a former secessionist territory in a blitzkrieg last year.
The elections are being held amid current regional challenges and geopolitical tensions, and the international observers They closely monitor the electoral process to ensure that it conforms to democratic norms.
The previous elections since independence from the Soviet Unionhave not been considered fully free or fair, and the vote for parliament is not expected National Assembly (the legislative branch of the Government) brings significant changes to the party-dominated body New Azerbaijan del Presidente Ilham Aliyev.
Aliyev’s father ruled Azerbaijan from 1993 until his death in 2003and then Ilham took over. Both have led the country with their heavy-handed governmentrepressing dissent, while the country of almost 10 million people on the shores of the Caspian Sea reveled in the growing wealth of its enormous oil reservesand natural gas.
“I vote for improve our educational systemwith the hope that in five years there will be more job opportunities and less unemployment“says a suffragette. “I vote for a better future and for the positive progress of our country,” says another Azerbaijani voter.
Twenty-five political parties participate in these elections, in which the winners will govern the country for the next five years. The ruling party occupies 69 of the 125 seats in Parliamentand most of the rest belong to small pro-government or independent parties.
This is the second time that the people of Azerbaijan have voted in 2024: while they are now electing their parliament, seven months ago they voted in the presidential elections.
The opposition party, with hopes
He Musavat partythe main opposition formation, presented 34 candidates to Sunday’s elections, but only 25 registered. Another opposition party, Republican Alternative, will present 12 candidates.
According to the country’s Constitution, the elections should have been held in November. However, Aliyev decreed that they take place two months beforeas they coincided with the United Nations climate talks, known as COP29, being held in the capital, Baku.
Elections one year after Azerbaijani recovery of Karabakh
The elections are held just under a year after Azerbaijani forces recaptured the region of Karabajwhich since 1994 had been under the control of ethnic armenian forces backed by Armenia, and expel their self-proclaimed government. Most of the region’s 120,000 Armenian residents fled the offensive.
The elections are held in the middle of the regional challenges and the continuous geopolitical tensionsand international observers closely monitor the electoral process to ensure that it conforms to democratic norms.
According to the National Electoral Commission, 50 organizations They will carry out observation missions. It is planned that the largest contingent of observers, that of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europepresent its preliminary evaluation of the elections on Monday.
In total, 200 international observers were invited to the country by the Azerbaijani Government to verify various aspects of the electoral process.
