President of Azerbaijan announces snap parliamentary elections

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has dissolved the country’s parliament, setting snap parliamentary elections for September 1.

«Subject to part 1 of article 981 and clause 1 of article 109 of the constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I have decided to dissolve Milli Majlis [the parliament] of the sixth convocation,» the press service of the president reported, citing the president’s edict.

The context. Azerbaijan’s parliament of the sixth convocation was elected in 2020. In February 2024, there were snap presidential elections in the country, conducted due to the self-dissolution of the unrecognized Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh and the restoration of Azerbaijan’s control over this territory. As a result, the necessity to renew the president’s mandate over the entire territory of Azerbaijan emerged. At that time, Aliyev won 92.12% of the votes and on February 16, he appointed the cabinet led by Prime Minister Ali Asadov.

The 2018 presidential elections were also held ahead of schedule. At the time, Aliyev was elected president for the next seven years, winning 86% of the votes. In 2016, the country’s constitution was revised to extend the president’s terms from four to seven years. In October 2023, Armenia recognized Azerbaijani sovereignty over Nagorno-Karabakh. On January 1, 2024, the unrecognized republic ceased to exist.