The opposition in the recently concluded Azerbaijan February 9 snap parliamentary elections has accused President Ilham Aliyev’s ruling party, New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), of influencing and rigging the polls. This follows a recent exit poll carried out after the elections that suggests that the ruling party has increased its share in the single-chamber legislature by four seats.
Poll Numbers
Conducted by a US-based firm, Arthur J. Finkelstein & Associates, the exit poll suggests that the YAP in Azerbaijan won a total of 69 seats – four seats more than the 65 seats it had in the outgoing house – in the 125-seat parliament often referred to as the Milli Majlis.
The exit poll further suggests that the country’s nominally independent candidates, who also support the policies of the ruling party, won a total of 41 seats in the elections. This left only one seat for the opposition, a spot to be occupied by Erkin Gadirli of the Republican Alternative Civic Movement (REAL).
Accusations of Election Rigging
While the ruling party in Azerbaijan promised that the elections would be democratic and without interference or fraud, opposition parties have accused the government of influencing the polls by limiting their ability to campaign as well as citing cases of multiple voting and ballot stuffing.
In a statement made to AFP published in Asia Times, the opposition leader of the Musavat party, Arif Gadjjily, said: “The elections were totally falsified,” a conviction shared by party leader, Isa Gambar, who told Reuters: “We are already observing a number of violations in polling stations where we have observers.”
Surprise Elections
The elections were originally scheduled for November 2020, however, a surprise self-dissolution of the legislature – largely dominated by his party – in December 2019, followed by the replacement of veteran officials within the presidential administration and the government, hastened the process with Aliyev calling for a new date of February 9, 2020.
According to the Chairman, Central Election Commission (CEC), Mazahir Panahov, turnout was 47.81 per cent of eligible voters with more than 2.5 million people participating in the polls, a drop from 55.7 per cent in 2015.
