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Politics of Azerbaijan



         


The Government of Azerbaijan consists of three branches:

Azerbaijan declared its independence from the former Soviet Union on August 30, 1991, with Ayaz Mutalibov, former First Secretary of the Azerbaijani Communist Party, becoming the country's first President. Following a massacre of Azerbaijanis at Khojali in Nagorno-Karabakh in March 1992, Mutalibov resigned and the country experienced a period of political instability. The old guard returned Mutalibov to power in May 1992, but less than a week later his efforts to suspend scheduled presidential elections and ban all political activity prompted the opposition Popular Front Party (PFP) to organize a resistance movement and take power. Among its reforms, the PFP dissolved the predominantly Communist Supreme Soviet and transferred its functions to the 50-member upper house of the legislature, the National Council.

Elections in June 1992 resulted in the selection of PFP leader Abulfez Elchibey as the country's second president. The PFP-dominated government, however, proved incapable of either credibly prosecuting the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict or managing the economy, and many PFP officials came to be perceived as corrupt and incompetent. Growing discontent culminated in June 1993 in an armed insurrection in Ganja, Azerbaijan's second-largest city. As the rebels advanced virtually unopposed on Baky, President Elchibey fled to his native province of Nakhchivan. He died in 2000. The National Council conferred presidential powers upon its new Speaker, Heydar Aliyev, former First Secretary of the Azerbaijani Communist Party (1969-81) and later a member of the U.S.S.R. Politburo, the KGB, and USSR Deputy Prime Minister (until 1987). Elchibey was formally deposed by a national referendum in August 1993, and Aliyev was elected to a 5-year term as President in October with only token opposition. Aliyev won re-election to another 5-year term in 1998, in an election marred by serious irregularities.

Azerbaijan's first Parliament was elected in 1995. The present 125-member unicameral Parliament was elected in November 2000 in an election that showed improvements in democratic processes, but still did not meet international standards as free and fair. A majority of parliamentarians are from the President's "New Azerbaijan Party." Opposition parties are represented in Parliament, but are suppressed and are not totally free to campaign before elections.

Azerbaijan has a strong presidential system in which the legislative and judicial branches have only limited independence.

The president is an absolute ruler. Demonstrations are often suppressed with violence, there are reports of torture and a strong censorship enables a personality cult. The Speaker of Parliament stood next in line to the President, but the constitution was changed at the end of 2002: now the premier is next in line. This was done to make it possible for the son of the 80-year old Heydar, Ilham Aliyev to succeed his father, who was admitted to a Turkish hospital on July 8, 2003 because of heart problems. In August, 2003, Illham was appointed as premier, though Artur Rasizade, who had been prime minister since 1996, continued to fulfill the duties of that office so that Ilham could concentrate on his presidential election bid. In the October 2003 presidential elections, Ilham won a landslide victory with several rivals, but none who had the power to defeat him. He was sworn in as president at the end of the month, and Rasizade became premier again. Heydar Aliyev died on December 12, 2003.

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Summary list

Political officeholders may not be updated. Country name:
conventional long form: Azerbaijani Republic
conventional short form: Azerbaijan
local long form: Azarbaycan Respublikasi
local short form: none
former: Aran and then Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic

Government type: republic <p>Capital: Baku <p>Administrative divisions:

Absheron Rayonu, Aghchabadi Rayonu, Agdam Rayonu, Agdas Rayonu, Agstafa Rayonu, Agsu Rayonu, Ali Bayramli Sahari*, Astara Rayonu, Baku Sahari*, Balakan Rayonu, Barda Rayonu, Beylaqan Rayonu, Bilesavar Rayonu, Jabrayil Rayonu, Jalilabad Rayonu, Dashkasan Rayonu, Davachi Rayonu, Fuzuli Rayonu, Gadabay Rayonu, Ganja Shahari*, Goranboy Rayonu, Goychay Rayonu, Hajiqabul Rayonu, Imisli Rayonu, Ismayilli Rayonu, Kalbajar Rayonu, Kurdamir Rayonu, Lachin Rayonu, Lankaran Rayonu, Lankaran Sahari*, Lerik Rayonu, Masalli Rayonu, Mingacevir Sahari*, Naftalan Sahari*, Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic**, Naftchala Rayonu, Oguz Rayonu, Qabala Rayonu, Qakh Rayonu, Qazakh Rayonu, Qobustan Rayonu, Quba Rayonu, Qubadli Rayonu, Qusar Rayonu, Saatli Rayonu, Sabirabad Rayonu, Shaki Rayonu, Shaki Sahari*, Salian Rayonu, Shamakhi Rayonu, Samkir Rayonu, Shamukh Rayonu, Siyazan Rayonu, Sumqayit Sahari*, Shusha Rayonu, Susa Sahari*, Tartar Rayonu, Tovuz Rayonu, Ucar Rayonu, Khachmaz Rayonu, Stepanakret (Khankandi) Sahari*, Khanlar Rayonu, Khizi Rayonu, Khojali Rayonu, Khojavand Rayonu, Yardimli Rayonu, Yevlakh Rayonu, Yevlakh Sahari*, Zangilan Rayonu, Zaqatala Rayonu, Zardab Rayonu. <p>Independence: 30 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) <p>National holiday: Independence Day, 28 May (1918) <p>Constitution: adopted 12 November 1995 <p>Legal system: based on civil law system <p>Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal <p>Flag: see Flag of Azerbaijan.
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Executive branch

chief of state: President Heydar Aliyev (since 18 June 1993)
head of government: Prime Minister Ilham Aliyev (since August 2003)
26 November 1996-August 2003: Artur Rasizade


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
elections: president elected by popular vote to a five-year term; election last held 11 October 1998 (next to be held 15 October 2003); prime minister and first deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the National Assembly
election results: Heydar ALIYEV reelected president; percent of vote - Heydar ALIYEV 76%

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Legislative branch

unicameral National Assembly or Ali Karimli, leader of "Reform" faction;

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Reference

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