Azerbaijan Holds Snap Parliamentary Elections

Azerbaijan is conducting snap parliamentary elections, the first since regaining control of the Karabakh region last year. The election, which has been criticized for lacking fairness, features 990 candidates vying for 125 seats in the Milli Mejlis parliament, predominantly controlled by the ruling New Azerbaijan party. Vafa Naghi, an independent candidate, has reported intimidation tactics against her campaign, raising concerns about electoral integrity. Observers from various organizations, including the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, are monitoring the elections, with over 112,000 local and 598 international observers present. The Central Election Commission has established 6,478 polling stations, including ones in newly liberated areas, and has installed webcams in 1,000 locations for transparency. Despite the expected outcome, challenges to the electoral process continue, highlighting the ongoing struggle for fair representation in Azerbaijan.