Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan’s political parties and blocs that failed to win seats in parliament at Sunday’s elections have claimed that the vote was not free and fair and lacked transparency.

In a statement signed on Wednesday, the parties alleged that the vote was rigged, saying they do not recognize its outcomes and demanding a re-run of the elections.

The statement was co-signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, Musavat, Azerbaijan Party for National Independence, Azerbaijan People’s Party, Azadlig Party, Great Azerbaijan Party, and REAL movement.

Musavat chairman Isa Gambar said the co-signatories would make a consistent effort to achieve invalidation of the election tallies and conduct of new elections "so that justice would be served".

The ruling Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party (YAP), chaired by President Ilham Aliyev, gained a 72-seat majority in the 125-member legislature. 12 candidates representing 10 other parties were elected to the Milli Majlis as well. Independent candidates claimed the remaining 41 seats in the legislature.

690 candidates stood in the parliamentary elections. Parliament members were elected for a five-year term under the majority of votes. A total of 1,024 international observers followed the polling, along with over 48,000 local monitors.