Baku, 8 February 2024 (TDI): Ilham Aliyev reelects President of Azerbaijan for a 5th consecutive time in a sweeping victory. He received over 90% votes in favor, ready for another seven-year tenure in office. The Presidential elections were held in Azerbaijan on February 7.
The Azerbaijani people have elected Ilham Aliyev as president, Central Election Commission chief Mazahir Panahov announced at a press conference. The turnout for the extraordinary election was 67.7%.
Following the triumphant Azerbaijani operation in Nagorno-Karabakh, President Ilham Aliyev called for a snap election in December 2023, instead of October 2025 as planned.
This operation ended the Republic of Artsakh, an Armenian-led separatist state, and gave Azerbaijan full control of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory.
Azeri forces began an operation in September, forcing separatists who had controlled the region for over three decades to leave the area.
President Aliyev assumed office in 2003 after the death of his father, Heydar Aliyev, who had governed Azerbaijan until 1993. Consequently, Aliyev was elected in 2008 and 2013. His recent reelection was in 2018 in which he got 86% votes.
President Aliyev’s fourth presidential term began with a series of socioeconomic reforms. These reforms included decrees addressing difficult credit loans, compensating the families of military veterans, and increasing student stipends.
Additionally, he granted mass releases to several political prisoners and attempted to diversify the Azerbaijani economy, which is heavily dependent on oil.
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International observers
Numerous international delegations arrived to observe the preparations and holding of extraordinary 2024 presidential elections of Azerbaijan. The notable observers included Secretary General of SCO, Secretary General of CIS, as well as Secretary General of Turkic States (TST).
A high-powered group of observers from the OIC General Secretariat was dispatched at the invitation of the Azerbaijani government. They performed the supervision of the Republic of Azerbaijan’s early presidential elections on Wednesday.
The OIC team finished their monitoring tasks. They stated that the electoral process was transparent, free, and organized, with a large turnout of voters exercising their political and civic rights.
Jeyhun Bayramov, Azerbaijan Foreign Minister, received the head of the Observation Mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of Turkic States (TURKPA) Osman Mesten and other delegation members.
According to the official statement, Minister Bayramov underlined the significance of the Presidential elections. This marks the first time they will be held in all sovereign territories of the country since independence.
Call for snap election
The electoral authorities must schedule the presidential election to take place on the third Wednesday of October. Article 178 of Azerbaijan’s Election Code stipulates this requirement and applies during the President’s last year in office.
The 2016 constitutional referendum extended the presidential term from five to seven years. Following amendments to the Azerbaijani Constitution, Aliyev was re-elected for a seven-year term in 2018.
This made the presidential election originally scheduled for October 15, 2025. According to Article 101 Part 1 of Azerbaijan’s Constitution, the President can constitutionally call a snap election.
Congratulating messages
Heads of States and Government globally send congratulating messages to Ilham Aliyev on resounding win who successfully reelects President Azerbaijan for 5th consecutive time. Leaders around the world called him and extended best wishes for his new mandate.
On February 8, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, contacted the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev. Charles Michel congratulated President Ilham Aliyev on his victory in the elections.
Various topics of Azerbaijan-EU ties, including energy and transport cooperation, were extensively covered during the telephonic conversation.
Avropa İttifaqı Şurasının Prezidenti Şarl Mişel İlham Əliyevə zəng edib.https://t.co/A8xyc6ZH0U
— AzerbaijanPA (@AzerbaijanPA) February 8, 2024
Furthermore, President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Iran’s leader Ebrahim Raisi, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy conveyed their felicitations to Ilham Aliyev.
The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) congratulated the Azerbaijani people. He praised the smooth organization of the presidential elections.
