Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has declared a snap presidential election set to take place on February 7, as disclosed in an official document released by his office. The announcement comes as Aliyev, 61, seeks a new term after being last re-elected in 2018 for a seven-year tenure. Given the prevalent suppression of political dissent, Aliyev is widely expected to secure another victory in the upcoming election.
Aliyev made headlines in September by launching a rapid offensive, following a nine-month blockade, to regain control of Nagorno-Karabakh—a breakaway region held by ethnic Armenians. This military operation marked his second successful assault in three years, addressing what he and much of Azerbaijan view as a historical injustice stemming from the region’s de facto secession during the violent ethnic conflict accompanying the Soviet Union’s dissolution in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Leveraging Azerbaijan’s oil wealth, President Aliyev has cultivated a robust partnership with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Simultaneously, he has adeptly navigated diplomatic ties with both Russia and Western nations, despite their deep divisions over Moscow’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict.
With his political maneuvering and economic stability, Aliyev’s leadership has maintained a semblance of equilibrium in a region marked by historical tensions. The upcoming election is poised to reinforce his political dominance, with the international community closely watching the developments as Azerbaijan moves toward this crucial electoral event.
