In Azerbaijan, society remains indifferent to any actions related to political parties

The new law on "Political Parties," adopted two years ago, came into effect early last year and has been criticized by the Venice Commission, is already making its impact felt. On December 4, the activities of two political parties—the Freedom Party and the Party of Free Democrats—were halted through court orders. The Ministry of Justice cited discrepancies in the documentation of these parties as the reason for its appeal to the court.

However, the chairman of the Freedom Party, Ahmad Oruj, stated that there were no issues with the documents and described the dissolution of the party as a political decision.

Some experts believe the new legislation has effectively simplified the process of dissolving political parties and could potentially be used against certain parties.

Hikmat Babaoghlu, a member of the New Azerbaijan Party's (YAP) Board and a deputy, told "Turan" that the activity of any political party is tied to its public engagement and political organization. "Some parties exhibit neither consistency nor activity in expressing positions on domestic political processes or global issues. There is no perception of their public activity or future prospects. Consequently, there is no socio-political demand for the operation of such parties. If we look at these parties as ideological organizational centers, we see that they lack such political-ideological foundations," he said.

Regarding the closure of political parties, the politician emphasized that the Ministry of Justice cannot act outside the "Law on Political Parties." "Ultimately, the law itself applies to the Ministry of Justice as well," he noted.

According to Babaoghlu, it would be better if party leaders publicly explain the issues that led to their dissolution. "This would provide a clearer understanding of why such decisions were made... The 'Law on Political Parties' was adopted to regulate the activities of parties, not to restrict them. The Ministry of Justice acts with this logic," he said.

In opposition circles, the current state of affairs regarding political parties is assessed differently. For several months, the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (AXCP), which seeks to amend its charter, has reported encountering obstacles in doing so.

According to Seymur Hezi, deputy chairman of AXCP, the party received a letter from the Ministry of Justice after its last congress on June 14, stating that its charter does not comply with certain principles of the new "Law on Political Parties." "Although AXCP does not agree with this, a collective decision was made to review the proposed amendments. We did this and prepared a new charter draft. To approve this charter, we need to hold a congress," he said to Radio Azadliq.

Hezi noted that neither the Ministry of Justice nor the State Property Committee has provided a venue for the congress, effectively leaving the party's requests unanswered. "We have taken the matter to court, but this is only a formal step. The reality is that the government does not accept AXCP's current charter and does not create conditions for adopting the new one."

The Ministry of Justice could not be reached for comment on the matter.

Political analyst Nasimi Mammadli points out that there are currently 25 active parties in the country. "The multi-party political system, which plays a crucial role in the development of democracy, has unfortunately become unappealing to citizens in Azerbaijan," he said.

According to the analyst, political parties have greater influence in two scenarios:

1. In parliamentary republics, particularly with proportional electoral systems.
2. In democratic and pluralistic societies.

"Currently, neither of these exists in Azerbaijan. As a result, society remains largely indifferent to any actions related to political parties," Mammadli emphasized.

He added that both public and political participation in Azerbaijan is restricted by laws and practical measures.

From 66 parties to now...

After Azerbaijan gained independence in 1991, 66 political parties were registered. Shortly after, two were dissolved.

In 2021, six parties announced their merger with the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), reducing the number of parties to 58.

Following the adoption of the new "Law on Political Parties," 31 parties applied to the Ministry of Justice for self-dissolution.

The new law brought the issue of re-registration of parties into focus. The membership requirement for registration was raised from 1,000 to 5,000 members. Additionally, the law mandated maintaining a registry of party members.

In September this year, the Ministry of Justice's charter was amended, granting it the authority to initiate proceedings in court for the suspension or dissolution of political parties in cases prescribed by law.