The electoral campaign continues for the early presidential elections in Azerbaijan, scheduled for February 7th, with fierce competition among 7 candidates while all indications point to the current President Ilham Aliyev being the most likely to win.
The seven candidates approved by the Central Election Commission out of the 17 originally nominated are:
- Current President Ilham Aliyev, nominated by the ruling party “New Azerbaijan”.
- Razi Nurullayev from the “National Front” party.
- Ilshad Mousayev from the “Grand Azerbaijan” party.
- Qudrat Hasan Quliyev from the “Popular Front of Whole Azerbaijan”.
- Fazil Mustafa from the “Great Order” party.
- Zahid Oruj, an independent candidate.
- Fuad Aliyev, the former leader of the Democratic Liberal Party.
Ilham Aliyev
Being the current President of Azerbaijan, Aliyev is the frontrunner for the current elections. Born in 1961, he is the son and successor of former Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev, a former member of the Politburo of the Soviet Communist Party, and the third President of Azerbaijan.
From 1995 to 2003, Ilham Aliyev served as a deputy in the Milli Majlis (Parliament). On August 4, 2003, Parliament elected Aliyev as the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan upon the proposal of his father, Heydar Aliyev, with 101 out of 102 votes.
During his leadership, significant oil and gas projects were implemented in Azerbaijan. Notably, the main export pipelines were launched, including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline in 2006 and the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline (South Caucasus Pipeline) in 2007.
The reunification of the Nagorno-Karabakh region late last September was a historic achievement for Aliyev, adding substantial weight to his already strong chances of winning the upcoming elections.
Zahid Oruj
A prominent politician and a member of parliament. He participated in the presidential elections in Azerbaijan in 2013 and 2018, receiving 1.5% and 3.1% of the votes, respectively.
On February 12, 2019, by the decree of President Aliyev, he was appointed as the Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijani Social Research Center.
In his first statement after his candidacy for the elections, he stated that the elections are “not only for choosing the head of state, but also for voting in favor of the victorious new century of Azerbaijan. We must ensure that the seventh of February becomes a continuation of the success of our glorious army.”
Due to electoral laws in the country, Zahid Oruj had to suspend his activities as the Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijani Social Research Center.
Razi Nurullayev
A political figure and member of parliament since 2020, and leader of the National Front Party. He is running for the presidency for the second time, with a focus on improving the living and social conditions of families in his electoral program.
He emphasizes that the main axis of his program is the mother and child, calling for the establishment of monthly allowances for child benefits, along with a reduction in gas tariffs, raising the retirement age for several years, and the construction of “social homes” for low-income families.
Qudrat Hasan Quliyev
A statesman and political figure, a member of parliament for 6 consecutive terms, currently serving as the Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Legal Policy and State Building.
He is one of the most experienced presidential candidates, having run for the presidential elections in the country 4 times. He was also elected as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament for 5 terms. Known for his staunch support for strengthening close cooperation with Turkey, Russia, and Pakistan.
His electoral program focuses on supporting the economy and trade. He is known for his enthusiasm for joining the World Trade Organization and regional economic organizations.
Ilshad Mousayev
The leader of the “Grand Azerbaijan” Party, and he is running for the elections for the first time. He tried to run for the 2003 elections, but his nomination was rejected. He is participating in the electoral race under slogans such as prioritizing the law, equalizing citizen rights, liberating what he considers “8 pockets from Armenian occupation,” and “forcing” Armenia to sign a peace agreement.
He also calls for opening the Zangezur Corridor, ensuring the large return of Azerbaijanis to Karabakh, eliminating unemployment, raising salaries and children’s benefits. In foreign policy, he sees the necessity of representing the country in all influential international and regional organizations, specifically mentioning the Turkish associations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation separately.
Fazil Mustafa
A member of parliament for four consecutive terms since 2005, participating in the presidential elections in 2008, where he secured the third position with 2.43% of the votes.
In March 2023, he was subjected to an armed attack near his home when unknown assailants fired at him with a Kalashnikov rifle. This was the first assassination attempt on a deputy in Azerbaijan since 1996.
He calls for moving towards a liberal form of governance where human rights are higher than state rights. He believes that the “roots of the problems” lie in the shortcomings of the backward education system.
In the event of his election, he plans to make radical changes in the management of the education system and focus on women’s education, canceling tuition fees for girls, ensuring the independence of universities, increase funding for information technology and communication development, and reducing internet costs.
Fuad Aliyev
The former leader of the Democratic Liberal Party is presenting himself as an independent candidate in the current elections. He contested the presidential elections in 2008, securing the sixth position with 0.77% of the votes.
He calls for strengthening national unity and electing a responsible government, emphasizing that the president should be a servant of the people and advocating for Azerbaijan’s neutrality and moving away from blocs.
In his electoral program, he sees the value of the human mind as higher than oil and gas, and calls for eradicating corruption, combating price hikes and monopolies, reducing taxes, focusing on government care and providing decent wages, and the return of Azerbaijanis to Western Azerbaijan, one of Iran’s 31 provinces. His slogan: “A wealthy citizen, a wealthy state.”
