The municipal elections in Azerbaijan, held on January 29, took place without significant public interest or pre-election activity, according to an election law expert. Official data from the Central Election Commission (CEC) reported a voter turnout of 31.45%, but independent observers have cast doubt on this figure.
The results of the vote, conducted in 685 municipalities across most of the 118 electoral districts, were published on the CEC website on the morning of January 30. A total of 16,096 candidates competed for 8,071 municipal seats, with more than half representing the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.
Despite the formal execution of the elections, their atmosphere remained notably passive. Speaking on the program Difficult Question, Hafiz Hasanov, chairman of the public association Law and Development, noted that election monitoring had not been conducted. However, he personally visited several polling stations. His assessment was bleak: "These elections were no different from previous ones, except they were even duller."
Hasanov pointed out the near-total absence of information about candidates in the media, a minimal election campaign, and a lack of visible competition. “I saw no campaign posters, no active political debate. Even the parties themselves showed little interest,” he said.
The official turnout figure has also been met with skepticism. While the CEC reported participation at 31.45%, Hasanov, based on his observations at four to five polling stations, estimated that actual voter participation may not have exceeded 10%. "The population has neither trust in the candidates nor hope that they will bring any change," he added.
The expert also emphasized that the candidate nomination process was sluggish, with no real contest observed. “These were extremely lackluster elections, devoid of competition or any genuine political rivalry,” Hasanov concluded.
Municipal elections in Azerbaijan traditionally attract less attention than presidential or parliamentary campaigns. However, the low voter engagement and the passivity of political parties raise questions about the future of local self-governance in the country.
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