Azerbaijan's ruling party wins majority of seats; intl. observers, opposition question results

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev's ruling party has won a majority in snap parliamentary polls, amid violation claims by both international observers and the opposition.

Partial results from Sunday's vote showed that at least 65 seats of the 125-seat parliament were taken by the ruling Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party, said Central Election Commission Chairman Mazahir Panahov.

Erkin Gadirly of Republican Alternative Party (ReAl) has been the sole opposition politician who made it to the new legislature.  

All other parties represented in the single-house parliament, called the Milli Majlis, are seen as pro-Aliyev.

International Observers criticized the result, saying Azerbaijan’s snap parliamentary elections have been marred by numerous irregularities, raising serious doubts on its integrity.

"Significant procedural violations during counting and the tabulation raised concerns whether the results were established honestly," observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Council of Europe (OSCE) said in a joint statement on Monday.

Azerbaijan voting in snap parliamentary elections

People in Azerbaijan are heading to the polls to cast their ballots in snap parliamentary elections.

International observers said restrictive legislation and the political environment prevented genuine competition in Sunday's vote.

They also denounced numerous instances of ballot stuffing and multiple voting, pressure on voters, candidates, and observers as well as the absence of campaign coverage in mainstream media.

Opposition parties have also claimed the election was “totally falsified,” with the Musavat opposition party demanding that the result of the vote be annulled and fresh polls be held.

Aliyev had previously said his government had taken all necessary measures to ensure fair and transparent elections that comply with Azerbaijan’s laws and international standards.

He called the election in December last year nine months before the vote was formally due, with officials from his ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party arguing that the move was “to support the president’s policy on reforms and personnel changes.”

In October, Aliyev had replaced the prime minister and a number of veteran officials within his presidential office and government.

The early elections were boycotted by the opposition, who blames the Azeri president for public discontent over the country’s economic slowdown and accuses him of trying to improve his government’s image by replacing old discredited elites with younger candidates.

Azerbaijan under Aliev is well-known for its lack of tolerance for dissent and its tough way of dealing with political opposition.

Aliyev has been at the helm of the ex-Soviet state since he was first elected in 2003 after the death of his father, Heydar Aliyev, who had held power for a decade.

He was re-elected in 2008 and 2013 in polls that were denounced by opposition parties as rigged.

The oil-rich country has since 2015 been beset by a drop in energy prices and a global economic downturn, also suffering a devaluation in its currency, the manat.

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