Draft of new law on political parties sharply tightens norms

Baku/08.09.22/Turan: A new bill on political parties was published on the website of Milli Majlis. According to the document, the state ensures the free activity of the registered parties.

It is prohibited to found parties aimed at forcibly changing the constitutional order and seizing power, violating the territorial integrity of the country, calling for mass riots, terrorism, religious extremism, propagandizing racial, religious, sexual, ethnic discrimination and hostility, actions against health and the environment.

The activity of political parties that have not passed state registration is not permitted.

A party may be founded by at least 200 citizens who during the last 20 years have permanently resided in Azerbaijan. In this case, they must be present at the founding meeting in person.

For the state registration of the party, it must have at least 10.000 members.

The list of party members must be submitted for inclusion in the state register. Changes in the register must be submitted twice annually - by January 15 and July 15.

Parties can be deprived of state registration if they fail to participate in parliamentary, presidential and municipal elections twice in a row.

Only citizens of Azerbaijan can make donations to the parties, the upper limit of one person's material assistance to different parties can't exceed 10.000 manats per year.

The parties will also be funded from the state budget.

At that, 5% of this aid will be received by the parties which won at least 3% of votes in the parliamentary elections, but which are not represented in Milli Majlis.

Note that 40% of the aid will be evenly distributed among the parties represented in the parliament.

Besides, 50% of the funds will be distributed among the parliamentary parties in proportion to their representation.

Another 5% will be allocated to the parties that will gain representation in the parliament as a result of the transfer to their ranks of already elected deputies, as well as the parties whose representatives will be elected at the repeat and by-elections.

Within 90 days following the adoption of the law, parties must bring their numerical composition in line with new norms, that is, bring the number of members to 10,000.

The current law was adopted in Azerbaijan in 1992. According to it, 1,000 members is enough to register a party. The current law also does not prohibit the activities of parties that have not passed state registration.

When publishing the bill, Milli Majlis does not specify, however, which body is its initiator and does not explain the need for a new law adoption. -06В-