Azerbaijan’s snap parliamentary election is underway with more than 6.4 million registered voters participating. The election is dominated by President Ilham Aliyev’s party, the New Azerbaijan Party. Previous elections in the country have been criticized for not being free or fair, and significant changes to the National Assembly are not expected. Aliyev, who succeeded his father as president, is accused of ruling heavy-handedly, although the country has seen economic growth under his leadership.
Opposition parties such as the Musavat Party and the Republican Alternative have fielded candidates, but the overall political landscape remains largely in favor of the ruling party. The election was advanced from its scheduled date in November due to Azerbaijan hosting the United Nations climate talks.
The election comes nearly a year after Azerbaijani forces reclaimed the Nagorno-Karabakh region from ethnic Armenian forces, forcing out its self-declared government. Most of the region’s Armenian residents fled during the offensive. The election has drawn observer missions from 50 organizations, with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe set to present its preliminary assessment on Monday.
Overall, the election in Azerbaijan is being closely watched as the country continues to navigate political challenges and tensions in the region, particularly following the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The outcome of the election will determine the composition of the National Assembly and the future direction of the country under Aliyev’s leadership.
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