Info
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
h . Not applicable
Comments: 146.1: Political parties, blocs of political parties, and citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan possessing suffrage and permanently residing in a constituency may nominate candidates to a single-mandate constituency.
Pursuant to Article 53 and 54 of this Code.
146.2: Candidates for repeat elections to a single-mandate constituency shall be nominated after official publication of the decision to hold elections.
146.3: Candidates for by-elections in a single-mandate constituency shall be nominated after the period indicated in Article 145.4 of this Code.
146.4: A candidate nominated by voters may consent to nomination in only one single-mandate constituency.
146.5: If a Constituency Election Commission has not been formed before the nomination of candidates, notification on the nomination of a candidate, notices of the relevant candidates on their consent, and other documents shall be sent to the Central Election Commission. The Central Election Commission shall submit the documents to the
Constituency Election Commission after the Constituency Election Commission has been formed and its chairperson has been elected.
147.1: At least 450 voters’ signatures should be collected in support of a candidate within the territory of the constituency for which he/she has been nominated.
Source: Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2024 amendments, article 146 and 147: https://msk.gov.az/uploads/qanunvericilik/Election-Code-2024.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/12
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship j . Other
Comments: I. Every citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan with the right to participation in election can be elected a Deputy of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijanin the procedure determined by law.
II. Persons cannot be elected Members of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan who have dual citizenship, are in State service in other countries, work in the executive or juridical organs, persons engaged in a different paid activity with the exception of scientific, creative and teaching work, ministers of religion, persons whose incapacity has been confirmed by a court, persons who serve their sentence in places of confinement based on a court verdict.
Source: Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan (1995) including amendments, article 85: https://president.az/en/pages/view/azerbaijan/constitution
Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2024 amendments, article 144: https://msk.gov.az/uploads/qanunvericilik/Election-Code-2024.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/12
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
e . In both presidential and legislative elections
Comments: 180.1. Political parties, blocs of political parties, and citizens possessing suffrage may nominate presidential candidates in accordance with Articles 53 and 54 of this Code.
180.2. Each citizen or citizens possessing suffrage may create an initiative group consisting of at least 100 persons for nominating presidential candidates.
Political parties, blocs of political parties, and citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan possessing suffrage and permanently residing in a constituency may nominate candidates to a single mandate constituency. At least 450 voters’ signatures should be collected in support of a candidate within the territory of the constituency for which he/she has been nominated.
Source: Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2024 amendments, article 146, 147, 180 and 181: https://msk.gov.az/uploads/qanunvericilik/Election-Code-2024.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/12
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct c . Indirect
Comments: 80.1: The following shall have the right to free airtime of TV and radio companies for election campaigning, in accordance with Article 77.2 of this Code: Political parties or blocs of political parties with candidates registered in more than 60 single-mandate election constituencies, or in more than half of all municipalities
83.1: In order to conduct unpaid pre-election campaigning, presidential candidates, political parties or blocs of political parties with registered candidates in more than 60 single mandate election constituencies or in more than a half of all municipalities, and referendum campaign groups with 40,000 or more members, shall be entitled to relevant space for free advertising in periodicals issued at least once a week
86.1: State bodies and municipalities should assist the registered candidate, political party, bloc of political parties, and referendum campaign group in organizing and holding meetings and open discussions with citizens.
86.2: Applications of the registered candidate, political party, bloc of political parties, or their agents requesting the allocation of a venue for meetings with voters, shall be considered by the relevant executive authority in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
87.1: Registered candidates, political parties with registered candidates, blocs of political parties, and referendum campaign groups shall have the right to produce printed, audiovisual, and other preelection campaign materials in accordance with the rules defined by the law.
Source: Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2024 amendments, article 80, 83, 86 and 87: https://msk.gov.az/uploads/qanunvericilik/Election-Code-2024.pdf
Law on Political Parties of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2023 amendments, article 25: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2023)012-e
Verified: 2024/11/13
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
a . Equal funding, regardless of size and previous performance b . Based on result of previous election c . Based on current legislative representation
Comments: 25.1: In accordance with Article 25.2 of this Law, financial aid is allocated by the state for financing the activity of the political party, and for this purpose, funds are provided in a separate budget line every year.
25.2: Funds provided for in Article 25.1 of this Law (hereinafter referred to as funds) shall be allocated since the formation of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the authorized composition based on the information of the Central Election Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the number of valid votes won to winning political parties that participated at the
new calling to the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan and be divided between political
parties in the following manner and transferred to their bank accounts quarterly in accordance
with Article 25.7 of this Law:
25.2.1. 40 percent of funds are divided equally among the political parties represented in
the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
25.2.2. 50 percent of the funds are divided among the members of the Milli Majlis of the
Republic of Azerbaijan, and the amount received as a result of multiplying the amount received
by the number of MPs elected from the political parties represented in the Milli Majlis of the
Republic of Azerbaijan is allocated to those political parties. In the event of an increase or
decrease in the number of MPs representing political parties in the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan
Republic, as a result of repeat and by-elections to the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic, as
well as in connection with the emergence (change) of the party affiliation of the current MPs, as
well as for other reasons, this fund will also be allocated to these political parties in accordance
with the rule established in the first sentence of the article. The unused part of the funds provided
for the political parties in the first sentence of this article for the corresponding quarter is
distributed among the political parties in proportion to the number of MPs representing the
political parties in the Milli Mejlis of the Azerbaijan Republic at the end of this quarter;
25.2.3. Five percent of funds is allocated for new political parties represented in the Milli
Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic in the amount corresponding to the share of each political party
for the corresponding quarter as a result of repeat and by-elections to the Milli Majlis of the
Azerbaijan Republic, as well as in connection with the creation (change) of party affiliation of
acting MPs in accordance with Article 25.2.1 of this Law;
25.2.4. 2.5 percent of the funds are divided equally among the political parties who won
valid votes in the elections to the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, but are not represented
in the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan;
25.2.5. 2.5 percent of the funds are divided proportionally according to the number of votes
won among the political parties provided for in Article 25.2.4 of this Law.
25.3. In accordance with Articles 25.2.4 and 25.2.5 of this Law, the upper limit of the annual
state financial assistance allocated to a political party cannot be more than double revenue of
this party, indicated in the financial report submitted in accordance with Article 27 of this Law
(excluding funds allocated within the framework of state financial assistance).
Source: Law on Political Parties of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2023 amendments, article 25: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2023)012-e
Verified: 2024/11/12
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: 24.1: A political party can only accept donations from citizens of the Republic of
Azerbaijan
Source: Law on Political Parties of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2023 amendments, article 24: https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2023)012-e
Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan including 2024 amendments, article 156: https://msk.gov.az/uploads/qanunvericilik/Election-Code-2024.pdf
Verified: 2024/11/12
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