OSCE calls for further reforms to ensure fair Azerbaijan elections
BAKU – Serious efforts are needed to create a competitive environment for elections with fair conditions for all candidates, says the final report on last year’s parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan released by the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) on Tuesday.
President Ilham Aliyev's Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party (YAP) gained a 72-seat majority in the 125-member parliament in the November elections, with almost all the rest of the seats going to independent candidates that some claim are loyal to Aliyev.
The report said that "overall the elections failed to meet a number of key OSCE commitments for democratic elections and important elements of Azerbaijani domestic legislation. It also acknowledges positive aspects, such as the technical organization of the process and efforts to improve voter lists."
The report includes more than 20 recommendations, such as ensuring fairness in registering candidates and building an election administration that enjoys public confidence.
It also suggests that Baku step up efforts to ensure the independence of the media and improve the conduct of the voting, counting, and tabulation process.
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