Azerbaijan's snap parliamentary elections on September 1 once again failed to meet the basic requirements for being free and fair, according to a preliminary report by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE's) Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

In the elections for the Milli Majlis (parliament) the ruling party won 68 out of 125 seats (down one), with the bulk of the rest of the seats occupied by so-called independent candidates. Turnout was just 37.3%.

This is the second snap election since Azerbaijan's successful invasion of the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, following the presidential elections in February, where President Ilham Aliyev claimed to have won more than 92% of the vote on a reported turnout of 76.7%.

While Azerbaijan prepares to host the COP29 climate conference in November, the government’s efforts to project an image of international respectability are starkly contradicted by the findings of the ODIHR report, compiled by the International Election Observation Mission (IEOM), which paints a grim picture of a country entrenched in autocratic practices, where democratic principles and electoral integrity appear to be little more than a façade.

The ODIHR report highlights that the elections took place in a political and legal environment that is still nothing short of suffocating. The electoral process was marked by a complete lack of genuine political pluralism, rendering the entire contest devoid of real competition. The election administration, while efficient in its formal duties, was deeply compromised by a lack of impartiality, which severely restricted the inclusivity of the process.

The political landscape in Azerbaijan, as portrayed in the report, is overwhelmingly dominated by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP) and its longtime leader, President Ilham Aliyev. The report underscores that almost all candidates who participated in the elections were supportive of the government’s policies, effectively nullifying any semblance of political diversity or opposition.

The ODIHR report also criticizes the near-invisibility of the election campaign, a symptom of the broader repression of dissenting voices in the country. The campaign was characterized by minimal public engagement and a pervasive atmosphere of fear, which stifled any potential for meaningful voter participation. The authorities’ efforts to monitor and control the campaign environment extended to social networks, further curbing free expression.

While there was a noticeable increase in the participation of women as candidates and in election commissions, the report notes that this silver lining is overshadowed by the broader context of gender inequality and the absence of affirmative measures to enhance women’s political involvement. The campaign discourse largely ignored gender equality issues, reflecting deep-seated gender stereotypes that continue to hinder women’s participation in Azerbaijan’s political life.

One of the most scathing criticisms in the report is directed at Azerbaijan’s legal framework for elections, which ODIHR asserts does not meet international standards or OSCE commitments for democratic elections. The Election Code, which remains largely unchanged since the previous parliamentary elections, imposes undue restrictions on fundamental freedoms of expression, association, and assembly. The report highlights that long-standing recommendations from ODIHR, the Venice Commission, and judgements of the European Court of Human Rights have been left unaddressed.

The report also points out that recent changes to political party and media legislation have further eroded fundamental freedoms, making it even more difficult for opposition parties to participate in the political process. The restrictive media environment, where defamation and libel remain criminal offences, has led to widespread self-censorship among journalists, and critical voices are systematically silenced.

Despite the outward appearance of an orderly voting process, the ODIHR report reveals that serious irregularities and omissions of crucial safeguards were rampant, particularly during the vote count. Observers noted multiple instances of ballot box stuffing, voters being allowed to vote without identification, and unauthorized persons tracking voters—a clear violation of the integrity of the electoral process. The report further criticizes the counting process, which was assessed negatively in nearly half of the polling stations observed. Key reconciliation procedures were often omitted, and there were numerous indications of deliberate falsification of voter lists and result protocols. These irregularities raise serious doubts about whether the votes were counted and reported honestly, as required by international standards.

The ODIHR report also sheds light on the compromised nature of Azerbaijan’s election commissions and judiciary, both of which are heavily influenced by the ruling party. The election commissions, which are supposed to ensure the impartiality and integrity of the electoral process, are instead controlled by the majority party, undermining their credibility. The judiciary, which is supposed to act as a check on the executive, is similarly compromised, with courts consistently upholding the decisions of the election commissions without conducting independent examinations of evidence.

The report details how complaints and appeals filed by opposition candidates were routinely dismissed without proper consideration, further eroding trust in the electoral process. The reduced number of court appeals compared to previous elections is attributed to a widespread lack of faith in the judiciary’s independence and effectiveness.

The ODIHR’s extensive and detailed report leaves little doubt that Azerbaijan’s early parliamentary elections fell far short of international standards for democratic elections. The restrictive political and legal environment, combined with the overwhelming dominance of the ruling party, has created a situation where genuine political competition is impossible, and the electoral process is reduced to a mere formality.

In the coming weeks, the ODIHR will release a comprehensive final report, including recommendations for potential improvements.