Will the Parliamentary Elections Be Competitive?

On July 17, the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) announced its list of candidates for all 125 constituencies for the early parliamentary elections scheduled for September 1. Some of the representatives from the previous parliament are not on this list.

However, some of these former representatives have been replaced by their children. This trend is also evident in other parties represented in the parliament.

All opposition forces, except the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party (APFP), have announced their intention to participate in the election process in various forms. The APFP has declared a boycott, stating that there are no minimal conditions for free and fair elections.

The III Republic Platform, which started its activities late last year and has already seen some of its members arrested on smuggling charges, issued a statement calling the upcoming elections "illegitimate."

The Platform believes that the pre-election environment does not allow for democratic competition. They emphasize that the commissions are not based on the principle of political neutrality and that the process is conducted under conditions of political repression: "The III Republic Platform has once again reviewed the possibilities of participating in this election process conducted under total injustice. Particularly, the Platform’s speaker Akif Qurbanov and founding member Ruslan Izzətli have shown determination to participate in the election. However, the pressure on their circle has reached a level where it is impossible for them to even appoint an authorized representative."

Nevertheless, the Platform considers participation in the election on voting day essential "to preserve electoral habits, thereby initially restoring the electoral democracy institution in the future."

Although the opposition Musavat Party is participating in the elections, neither its current nor former leaders have put forward their candidacies.

Hikmet Babaoğlu, a member of the New Azerbaijan Party’s Board, told Turan that the elections for the VII convocation of the Azerbaijani parliament will be dynamic, pluralistic, and among those in which voters are most actively participating: "This is very important for the newly forming parliament. Because Azerbaijan is facing new challenges and entering a new historical stage. This historical stage requires innovations in both public, economic, and social relations."

Babaoğlu noted that the primary function of the parliament is to regulate public relations. According to him, almost all political forces in Azerbaijan's political system have joined the VII convocation early parliamentary elections: "Only the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party has decided not to join. However, all other actors in the political system have their candidates. I think this will be one of the factors making these elections competitive."

The YAP official believes that parties will set a new agenda in connection with these elections in the new phase: "This is related to the new realities created by Azerbaijan. These elections are a festival of democracy, a competition of democracy. I wish success to all candidates."

Natiq Jafarli, a member of the Political Council of the REAL Party, told Radio Liberty that his party was the first to apply to the Central Election Commission (CEC) and announce the names of its candidates: "Therefore, it was not very important for us who YAP would nominate from which constituency. Looking at YAP's list, there are interesting issues – many names are unknown, there are also old cadres who can be counted and have become candidates again."

According to Jafarli, the extent to which this will affect the elections will become clear during the election process: "So far, neither the CEC, nor the constituency election commissions, nor other organizations have caused any problems related to signature collection for our candidates; they have immediately resolved technical issues when they arise. But does this mean it will be the same on election day? It is very difficult to say this now."

Political commentator Nasimi Mammadli believes that in recent years in Azerbaijan, the process under the name of elections has almost disappeared: "Today, the composition of state bodies formed through elections is not determined by the vote of the electorate. Citizens are simply given the right to come to the elections and vote, but this is not the right to choose. Therefore, the Azerbaijani authorities do not and will not allow these elections to be conducted competitively in any way."

The expert believes that the government has purposefully eliminated the possibilities for competition in the elections: "They have created an environment where those individuals and organizations with even a slight chance or ambition to participate in this competition are not part of the process. Alongside those boycotting the elections, the leaders and key functionaries of parties with some ambition will not be candidates in the elections. It seems everyone already accepts that this is simply a process to be marked on the election calendar."