Win for ruling party, falsifications, disappointment – results of parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan

The ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) has won the parliamentary elections held in Azerbaijan on February 9 amid numerous frauds. 

According to preliminary data, the party received 65 out of 125 seats in parliament. Many of these winners are MPs of the previous convocation. 78 MPs retained their mandates. 

Representatives of smaller and little-known parties received 10 seats, and 43 seats went to independent candidates. In several districts, the results are not yet known.

Of opposition candidates, only the member of the board of the unregistered Republican Alternative (REAL) party Erkin Gadirli, who participated in the elections as a self-nominated candidate, got into parliament.

The turnout was 47.81 percent. The minimum turnout was canceled in 2009.

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Election assessment

Most opposition and independent candidates who did not make it into parliament consider the election results to be falsified. During the voting process, they repeatedly stated various violations, from voting carousels to physical pressure.

The head of the opposition Musavat party, Arif Hajili, said that the election fraud was “total” and the turnout was overstated.

The Central Election Commission claims that there were not many violations, and each such case is being investigated.

The reactions of international organizations that observed the election have not yet come out. Pro-government media quoted individual foreign observers praising the elections.

For example, the head of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture Lilia Gumerova (Russia) said that the polling stations had “very, very well-coordinated work, the high professionalism of the chairmen of precinct commissions is felt.”

Disappointment and anger

The leader of the Republican Alternative, Ilgar Mammadov, who repeatedly stated that he would bring the people out onto the streets in the event of fraud, called on his supporters to stage a protest rally on February 16.

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The leader of the Musavat party at his press conference demanded that the authorities hold new elections. When asked what steps the party intends to take, Arif Hajili answered that this issue is being discussed.

On social media, many write about their disappointment, indignation and are very pessimistic. However, these moods are limited by a relatively small circle of socially active youth, young politicians and activists.

Since television, completely controlled by the authorities, is the main source of information for the population of Azerbaijan, many are not aware of the hopes that civil society placed on these elections.