AZERBAIJAN: International monitors say Azeri election not truly democratic

Record ID: 217902

  • Title: AZERBAIJAN: International monitors say Azeri election not truly democratic
  • Date: 9th November 2010
  • Summary: BAKU, AZERBAIJAN (NOVEMBER 8, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF HOTEL WHERE OSCE PRESS BRIEFING TOOK PLACE OSCE OFFICIALS BRIEFING MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) WOLFGANG GROSSRUCK, OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY REPRESENTATIVE, SAYING: "While the November 7, 2010 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Azerbaijan were characterised by a peaceful atmosphere and all opposition
  • Embargoed: 24th November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Azerbaijan
  • Country: Azerbaijan
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA6P7OBKBXENKI2PEGPSJQTCZVY
  • Story Text: International monitors criticised on Monday (November 8) a parliamentary election in Azerbaijan that tightened President Ilham Aliyev's grip on power in the strategically important oil and gas exporting nation.
    Aliyev loyalists swept the board in Sunday's election, which did not fully meet democratic standards, according to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
    "While the November 07, 2010 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Azerbaijan were characterised by a peaceful atmosphere and all opposition parties participated in the political process, these elections, they are not run overall in a way to constitute meaningful progress in the democratic development of the country," said Wolfgang Grossruck, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly representative, at a briefing in Baku.
    He added: "Despite all the efforts made, the country needs to do much more to make progress in developing a truly pluralist democracy. I can assure you that we have made a strong effort to be objective and balanced and see the negative aspect as well as the positive."
    The monitors said there were significant violations during the election.
    "Regrettably, our observation of the overall process shows that the conditions necessary for a meaningful democratic election were not established, and we are particularly concerned about restrictions of fundamental freedoms, media bias, the dominance of public life by one party and serious violations on election day," said Ambassador Audrey Glover, an ambassador for the OSCE election observation mission in Azerbaijan.
    With almost all the votes counted, Aliyev's New Azerbaijan Party had increased its share in the 125-seat parliament to over 70 seats from 64 previously, and a host of small parties and "independents" loyal to the government took almost all the rest.
    The leading opposition party, Musavat, failed to win a single seat in the assembly, and criticised the vote on Monday as "illegitimate" and a challenge to Western democracies.
    The ruling party said the vote was "free and fair," and the Central Election Commission said there were no serious violations that would affect the results.
    The mainly Muslim country of 8.3 million people is an ally of the United States.
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