“The lack of specificity in the authorities of municipalities makes them insignificant and “toothless”

The detention of Azerbaijani opposition leader Ali Kerimli on charges of plotting a government overthrow comes amid broader turmoil in the country’s political landscape, as authorities dismantle networks linked to former presidential administration chief Ramiz Mehdiyev and prepare for possible constitutional reforms next year, experts and politicians say.

On July 17, at the next meeting of the Board of the Yeni Azerbaijan Party, in connection with the upcoming early parliamentary elections on September 1, a list of candidates for all 125 districts was determined.

On June 21, the Milli Majlis appealed to the President with a proposal to call early parliamentary elections. At a meeting of the board of the ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party (YAP) held on June 20, it was proposed to postpone the elections to an earlier date, since international events would be held in the country in November, when parliamentary elections were to be held.

"According to the legislation, parliamentary elections should be held in November this year, but their dates may be postponed to an earlier date,"  Chairman of the Central Election Commission Mazahir Panahov  said at a meeting of the Central Election Commission on May 2. Panahov attributed this to the fact that the elections coincide with COP29 (the UN Climate Change Conference), which will be held in November in Azerbaijan: "Therefore, a decision may be made to postpone the elections."