Azerbaijan’s Ruling Party Wins Snap Election Amidst Controversy

Azerbaijan’s Snap Election Results: A Narrow Victory for the Ruling Party

In a highly anticipated snap election held on Sunday, the ruling New Azerbaijan Party emerged with a narrow victory. Exit polls indicated that President Ilham Aliyev’s party secured 68 out of 125 seats in the Milli Majlis, Azerbaijan’s parliament, reflecting a slight decrease from its prior count of 69 seats. The remaining seats were claimed by smaller pro-government parties and independent candidates. A total of 990 candidates contested for the 125 parliamentary seats.

This election marks the first since Azerbaijan launched a rapid military offensive last year to regain full control over Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory that had previously declared independence. Historically, elections in Azerbaijan since its independence from the Soviet Union in the 1990s have been criticized for lacking fairness and transparency. Consequently, the recent vote for the Milli Mejlis is not anticipated to lead to significant changes within a parliament predominantly influenced by Aliyev’s party.

President Aliyev, who took over from his father, Heydar Aliyev, following his death in 2003, has maintained a strong grip on power. Both father and son have ruled with an iron fist, stifling dissent in a nation of nearly 10 million people situated along the Caspian Sea, which has seen considerable wealth generated from its extensive oil and natural gas reserves.

In a photo released by Azerbaijan’s Presidential Press Office, President Ilham Aliyev is seen addressing a parade in Khankendi, the capital of the former breakaway region. According to Azerbaijan’s constitution, the election was originally scheduled for November; however, President Aliyev advanced the date by two months to prevent a conflict with the upcoming COP29 UN climate talks, which are slated to occur in the capital, Baku.

A total of 50 organizations were designated as independent observers for the election, as reported by Azerbaijan’s National Election Commission. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), being the largest observer organization, is expected to deliver its preliminary assessment shortly after the election results are finalized.

Notably, for the first time in three decades, voting also took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, a significant development that underscores Azerbaijan’s renewed authority over the region.