President Ilham Aliyev’s Democratic Discourse and Parliamentary Elections 2024

Analytics 10:44 07.07.2024

As Azerbaijan looks forward to snap parliamentary elections, so many questions arise. When will it be held, how will if affect the current ongoing policies of the state and, etc. With all those questions in our hand Ednews reprints "President Ilham Aliyev’s Democratic Discourse and Parliamentary Elections 2024" by  Dr. Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan, President of Pak-China Corridor of Knowledge, Executive Director of the Center for South Asia & International Studies (CSAIS):

President Ilham Aliyev is well known for his rigorous politicization and democratization in South Caucasus and beyond. Ilham introduced and subsequently institutionalized numerous structural reforms which have further strengthened political liberalization, opposition co-existence, women empowerment, political diversity, accountability, transparency, openness and role of the law gearing up immense socio-economic development to provide basic necessities of life and protection of basic human rights. The snap parliamentary elections 2024 in Azerbaijan vividly reflect Ilham's firm belief in the trinity of modern democracy. 

It now seems that the Republic of Azerbaijan’s State, Society and System have been further decentralized gearing to stable and sustainable development, ethnic diversity, multiculturalism tagging people, nature, business and investment with friendly governance.   

Most recently, President Ilham has signed a decree on the dissolution of the Azerbaijan’s Parliament of the sixth convocation and the appointment of an extraordinary election to the Azerbaijan Parliament. An extraordinary election will be scheduled for September 1, 2024.

In this regard, on June 21, the Parliament of Azerbaijan appealed to the President with a proposal to call early parliamentary elections. The need to reschedule the elections was justified by the fact that in November, when they were originally scheduled, Azerbaijan will host the COP29 and other major international events.

On June 24, the President of Azerbaijan requested the Constitutional Court to review whether the dissolution of the parliament complies with the country's Constitution. The Constitutional Court, in a plenary session, confirmed the legality of the President's decision to dissolve the parliament consistent with Article 981 of the Constitution of Azerbaijan. Thus it has no political maneuvering and administrative control.

Despite sponsored media outlets of the west the Republic of Azerbaijan has the  trinity of modern democratic system consisting of respect of human civilization, fair, free, and transparent elections, a stable political system, and responsive democracy, pivotal for human survival, protection of basic human rights, freedom of expression, socio-economic prosperity, qualitative life, and last but not least, respect of humanity and ethnic diversity and hopefully, parliamentary elections 2024 will further strengthen, streamline, and systematized the governance, socio-economic sustainability and international cooperation.

Azerbaijan is a democratic country, and its Chief Election Commission is also an independent legal entity. Azerbaijan’s society believes in fair play, equal opportunity, the right to access information, and last but not least, the right to association, the golden parameters and principles of modern western democracy. Moreover, the independence and vibrancy of its mass media always protects transparency and fairness in elections.

Historically, Azerbaijan was the first functional democracy in the entire Muslim world, and since its independence, it has been implementing numerous structural reforms to achieve the optimal levels of politicization and democratization in its country.

8a8e0ff7-326c-49ff-8c2c-0e08ccbe4e8e.jpg

Azerbaijan has its unique model of politics and democracy which has succeeded to achieve desired goals of socio-economic prosperity in the country. During the last two decades, the state budget has increased 30 times. The budget expenses per person were less than 150 manats in 2003; today, this number is more than 3500 manats. As for social protection expenses, the increase in this area is more than 20 times. 

Also, compared to 2003, the poverty level in 2022 has decreased from 44.7 percent to 5.5 percent, and the average monthly salary has increased from 77.4 manats to 839.4 manats. Thus, his policies have been catalysts for socio-economic development in the country.

The average nominal monthly salary has increased 12 times, from 76.8 manat ($45) from January through November 2003 to 923.1 manat ($543) for the same period in 2023. The minimum wage has increased 38 times, from nine manat ($5.29) in 2003 to 345 manat ($202.9) in 2023. The number of employment contracts has increased by 38.5 percent, from 1.3 million in 2017 to 1.8 million in 2023.

Employment has increased by 25 percent, from four million people in 2003 to five million people in 2023. The number of economically active population has grown by 20 percent, from 4.4 million people to 5.3 million people. The annual amount allocated for employment programs has increased from seven million manat ($4 million) in 2018 to 525 million manat ($308.8 million) by 2024 (75 times increase).

Under the presidency of President Ilham Aliyev (20 years), the GDP of the non-oil sector has grown 3.4 times showing the success of diversification of the macro-economy. Azerbaijan’s foreign exchange reserves have grown more than 47 times exceeding $66 billion. More than 2.5 million new jobs have been generated in the country enabling the reduction of poverty. Its GDP estimation is 6.3 percent which is the highest in the South Caucasus.

The ruling party of Azerbaijan rightly decided to hold an early election in the country because of achieving close “liaison” with the ongoing diversified but integrated economic and structural reforms. Moreover, the “constitution” of Azerbaijan allows snap elections which are also endorsed by the Electoral code.

With the successful holding of snap parliament elections in free, fair and transparent manners, the Republic of Azerbaijan, pioneer of “secular democracy” in the CIS  and South Caucasus has now started its journey from “electoral democracy” to “substantial” & “liberal democracy”. Electioneering is at its peak. Political parties and their candidates are trying hard to win the hearts & souls of the common people to secure a majority in the upcoming election.

8066f731-19bb-42ae-9fad-42ab8143ea07.jpg

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) was the “pioneer” to “grant rights” of voting to “women” even before the so-called civilized West. It introduced a novel concept of “political diversity” through the real representation of ethnic groups/identities in the parliament. the ADR  consolidated the concept of “political liberalism” through participation of various businessmen, and unionists in its first parliament even before the Japanese model of politico-economic governance”. 

In summary, President Ilham Aliyev is the real custodian and guarantor of democracy in Azerbaijan which is responsive, productive, progressive and participatory gearing the country towards greater prosperity, connectivity, qualitative life and political diversity. It is a multi-party democracy which clearly demonstrates its political maturity, societal decency, development oriented policies and rule of the law.     

The Republic of Azerbaijan constantly continued the democratic spirit, concepts and political reforms and achieved a “sustainable political system” with a “liberal democracy” in its country. It has its own unique salient features which does not merely rely on “mercantilization of economics” and exploitation of agents of productions. 

Its journey towards rigorous politicization and democratization has been people’s friendly through holding of constant and timely elections. It has always been preferring people over profits by providing “basic necessities” of life and protecting “social equilibriums” and “spirits of multiculturalism”. 

Thus President Ilham’s political discourse is achieving miracles in terms of immense socio-economic development, corruption free system, good governance, fair, free, transparent and open elections, neutrality of all stakeholders, free will of the people, denial of all discriminations, institutionalization of women empowerment and judicial independence in the Republic of Azerbaijan. 

IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Azerbaijani oil price falls below $64
12:36 02.05.2025
Changes are coming: the UN is preparing a large-scale reform of the global architecture
12:31 02.05.2025
UNDP ceases operations in Azerbaijan
12:23 02.05.2025
Azerbaijan drafting a new state program to ensure food security
12:18 02.05.2025
Preparations for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Azerbaijan and Nepal
12:11 02.05.2025
Apple faces $900 million in losses due to Trump's trade war
12:03 02.05.2025
The Strangest Place on Earth Discovered
11:58 02.05.2025
Scientists have discovered what makes you itch
11:54 02.05.2025
Agricultural innovations yield results in Azerbaijan
11:43 02.05.2025
Mysterious disappearance in the Amazon sky: a plane with passengers disappeared in Bolivia
11:38 02.05.2025
Washington's role in Armenia-Azerbaijan peace talks: progress and prospects
11:26 02.05.2025
Iran, Azerbaijan can jointly promote initiatives
11:21 02.05.2025
Azerbaijan aims to expand participation in carbon markets
11:19 02.05.2025
Secretary General of Communist Party of Vietnam to visit Azerbaijan
11:11 02.05.2025
Leyla Aliyeva attends “Only Culture” musical and artistic program
11:09 02.05.2025
Leyla Aliyeva and Arzu Aliyeva visit Polad Hashimov's home
10:56 02.05.2025
Uzbekistan, Japan,,Azerbaijan strengthen friendly relations and cooperation
10:43 02.05.2025
Heydar Aliyev's abolition of censorship in Azerbaijan created conditions for the expansion of pluralism
10:38 02.05.2025
Film titled 'Khojaly. The Last Wedding...' to be aired
10:36 02.05.2025
President's Cup-2025 regatta to conclude in Azerbaijan's Mingachevir
10:31 02.05.2025
Artificial intelligence has managed to crack passwords with the help of powerful processors
10:26 02.05.2025
Skype platform is being discontinued
10:19 02.05.2025
Leyla and Arzu Aliyeva participated in a tree-planting campaign in Sumgayit
10:11 02.05.2025
'The Social Processes in the Context of Media' forum held in Baku
10:04 02.05.2025
Trump announced the May 11 date on November 8th
10:04 02.05.2025
Mass grave discovered in Khojaly
12:15 01.05.2025
Pentagon threatens Iran over its support for Houthis
12:10 01.05.2025
Trainings on "New Trends in Strategic and Crisis Communication" conclude
12:05 01.05.2025
Azerbaijani Parliament approves accelerated digital transmission of guardianship
12:02 01.05.2025
Trial of Armenians accused of war crimes underway
11:54 01.05.2025
A memorandum was signed between the Multiculturalism Center and ICESCO
11:50 01.05.2025
"Crocodile Eye" and "The Twist" - Amazing Photos of Rare Spiral Galaxies Captured
11:42 01.05.2025
Baku branch of the National Bank of Iran resumes operations
11:38 01.05.2025
Azerbaijan and Iran discuss launch of direct Tabriz-Baku-Tabriz flight
11:32 01.05.2025
In the first quarter, Azerbaijan exported $450 million worth of non-oil products to Russia, Turkey, and Georgia
11:26 01.05.2025
The Milli Majlis has approved the appointment of Kamran Aliyev as Prosecutor General
11:22 01.05.2025
Preparation of design for the construction of liberated villages of Gazakh has begun
11:15 01.05.2025
Azerbaijan-Africa cooperation is expanding: new partnerships and international forums
11:11 01.05.2025
The 7th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Great Britain Intergovernmental Commission was held
11:05 01.05.2025
Azerbaijan’s Combined Arms Army holds command-staff exercise
11:02 01.05.2025
Hamısı