Arrr! The Azerbaijani captain be winnin' by a staggering 90%! Be the sea too rough fer fair elections, matey?
2024-02-09
Arr matey! 'Tis official! The landlubber Ilham Aliyev be claimin' victory in Azerbaijan's grand election! The Commission o' Elections be vouchin' fer 'is landslide win, ye scallywags!
President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has won another term in office, securing 92.12% of the vote, according to the country's Central Election Commission. However, election monitors have raised concerns about the integrity of the election. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) stated that the election took place in a restrictive environment with no real political competition. Aliyev has been in power for over 20 years and called for an early vote when he was enjoying a surge in popularity after reclaiming the Karabakh region from ethnic Armenian separatists. He now begins another seven-year term.The OSCE election observers described the election as lacking meaningful challenge and genuine pluralism due to limitations on independent media, civil society, and other political parties. They also noted the absence of analytical reporting, which hindered voters' ability to make informed choices. Analysts believe that Aliyev strategically scheduled the election to capitalize on his popularity following the Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan will host a U.N. climate change conference in November.
Aliyev, 62, took office in 2003, succeeding his father, who was previously the Communist boss and president during Azerbaijan's independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Aliyev aimed for this election to mark the beginning of a new era where Azerbaijan has full control over its territory. The election took place in Khankendi, previously known as Stepanakert, where the self-declared separatist government resided.
Azerbaijan regained parts of Karabakh and its surrounding territory in 2020 after a six-week war brokered by Moscow. The country later blockaded the road linking Karabakh with Armenia, causing shortages, and launched a blitz in September 2023 that forced separatist forces to surrender. This conflict led to the displacement of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians.
Aliyev's time in power has been marked by strict laws curbing political debate and the arrest of opposition figures and independent journalists, including in the lead-up to the election. The main opposition parties, Musavat and the People's Front of Azerbaijan, did not participate in the vote, and some opposition members have alleged potential rigging.