National Assembly (Azerbaijan)
National Assembly Republic of Azerbaijan Unicameral | |
---|---|
History | |
Founded | 12 November 1995 |
Preceded by | Supreme Soviet (Ali Sovet) of the Republic of Azerbaijan |
Leadership | |
First Deputy Speaker | |
Deputy Speaker | |
Deputy Speaker | |
Structure | |
Seats | Total 125 deputies |
Political groups | Government (69)
Pro-Government (3)
Opposition (9)[citation needed]
Independents (37)
Vacant (7)
|
Length of term | 5 years |
Elections | |
First-past-the-post voting | |
Last election | 9 February 2020 |
Next election | February 2025 |
Meeting place | |
Building of the National Assembly | |
Chamber of the National Assembly | |
Website | |
meclis.gov.az |
Azerbaijan portal |
The National Assembly (
The Assembly nominally has powers under the Azerbaijan Constitution, but in practice power is heavily concentrated in Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan.[2][3] Parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan are not free and fair.[4][3]
Between 1993 and 2010, the major opposition parties were allowed some representation in the Assembly in each fraudulent election.[3] However, since 2010, no opposition parties have held seats in the Assembly.[3] There are nominal opposition parties and "independents" but they support the Aliyev regime.[3]
The constitutional amendments of 2016 allow the president to dissolve parliament.[3]
History
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920)
Following the
On 27 May, 44 Muslim deputies of the Sejm gathered in
Therefore, basing on 24 thousand representatives of nationalities of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani parliament made up of 80 Muslims, 21 Armenians, 10 Russians, 1 German, and 1 Jew was established on 29 November and convened on 7 December 1918. Thus, the first session of the parliament took place in the building of former
Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR
During the last session of the Azerbaijani Parliament on 27 April 1920 under the pressure of the
In May 1921, the first All-Azerbaijan Soviet Session made up of newly elected deputies from all regions of Azerbaijan convened in Baku. The elected deputies were mainly drawn from poor, uneducated, unprepared factory workers and villagers which facilitated complete rule from Moscow.[citation needed] The first session established the Azerbaijan Central Executive Committee consisting of 75 members and its board with 13 members. From 1921 through 1937, nine sessions of All-Azerbaijan Soviets were convened. In 1937, during the 9th session of the All-Azerbaijani Soviets a new Azerbaijan SSR Constitution was ratified and the new legislative body the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR was established.
The first elections to Supreme Soviet took place on 24 June 1938. Out of 310 deputies elected, 107 were workers, 88 collective farmers and 115 educated civil servants. Seventy-two of the deputies were women. Due to the authoritarian nature of Soviet rule where most new initiatives were met as conspiracies against the state, the parliament was virtually ineffective. Due to multiple reforms and restructuring in the government of the Azerbaijan SSR in the 1970s–1980s, the role of the Supreme Soviet increased. Many legislative reforms including the ratification of the new Azerbaijan SSR Constitution of 1977 took place. After the demands of the Armenian SSR to transfer the NKAO region of Azerbaijan to Armenia, the parliament was largely passive and indifferent. On 18 October 1991 the Supreme Soviet passed a resolution confirming the restoration of the independence of Azerbaijan.[6]
Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan
The first
The assembly is headed by its Speaker assisted by the First Deputy Speaker and two deputy speakers. Sahiba Gafarova is the current speaker of the assembly, Ali Huseynli is the First Deputy Speaker and, Fazail Ibrahimli and Adil Aliyev are deputy speakers.[7] The work at the parliament is administered by the Parliament Apparatus headed by Sefa Mirzayev, aided by Assistant Manager Elkhan Ahmadov. The Parliament Apparatus is subdivided into Department of State Roster for Territorial Units and Municipalities, and Codification Sector Department.[8]
In the
The United States declared that the elections "did not meet international standards",[9] while the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, EU and Council of Europe highlighted some positive aspects, while stating that "the conduct of the elections did not represent significant progress in the process of the country’s democratic development".[9]
2015 Parliamentary elections resulted in 72 seats won by the ruling party. Currently, Parliament consists of 15 parliamentary committees:
- Legal Policies and State Structuring Committee, chaired by first deputy speaker of the parliament, MP Ali Huseynli
- Defense and Security Committee, chaired by MP Ziyafet Asgarov
- Economic Policies Committee, chaired by MP Tahir Mirkishili
- Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Ecology, chaired by MP Sadig Gurbanov
- Committee on Agrarian Policies, chaired by MP Tahir Rzayev
- Social Policies Committee, chaired by MP Musa Guliyev
- Committee on Regional Issues, chaired by MP Siyavush Novruzov
- Committee on Science and Education, chaired by MP Bakhtiyar Aliyev
- Committee on Cultural Issues, chaired by MP Ganira Pashayeva
- Committee on Public Unions and Religious entities, chaired by deputy speaker of the Parliament, MP Fazail Ibrahimli
- Committee on Youth and Sport, chaired by deputy speaker of the Parliament, MP Adil Aliyev
- Committee on Health Issues, chaired by MP Ahliman Emiraslanov
- Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs, chaired by MP Hijran Huseynova
- International and Interparliamentary Relations Committee, chaired by MP Samad Seyidov
- Human Rights Committee, chaired by MP Zahid Oruj[10][11]
In addition to the parliamentary committees, Milli Majlis has a Chamber of Accounting, Toponyms and Disciplinary Commissions. The Disciplinary Commission is chaired by MP Eldar Ibrahimov.[12] The parliament publishes its own newspaper, Azərbaycan qəzeti (Azerbaijan newspaper), widely distributed around the country.[13]
Parliament also established more than 80 "Interparliamentary working groups" with the parliaments of more than 80 states in the world.[14]
Chairmen of the National Assembly (Supreme Soviet to 1995) of Azerbaijan
- Elmira Gafarova 5 February 1991 – 5 March 1992.[15]
- Yagub Mammadov 5 March 1992 – 18 May 1992
- Isa Gambar 18 May 1992 – 13 June 1993
- Heydar Aliyev 24 June 1993 – 5 November 1993
- Rasul Guliyev 5 November 1993 – 11 September 1996
- Murtuz Alasgarov 16 October 1996 – 2 December 2005
- Ogtay Asadov 2 December 2005– 10 March 2020
- Sahiba Gafarova 10 March 2020–today
See also
- Politics of Azerbaijan
- Government of Azerbaijan
- Cabinet of Azerbaijan
- Azerbaijani parliamentary election, 2010
- List of legislatures by country
- List of political parties in Azerbaijan
- Constitution of Azerbaijan
References
- ^ "Azərbaycanda daha bir partiya özünü buraxdı: VBP-nin son BƏYANATI". musavat.com (in Azerbaijani).
- ^ "Azerbaijan: Country Profile". Freedom House. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- ^ JSTOR 10.7312/alts70456.
- ^ "Azerbaijan: Nations in Transit 2021 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ^ "Milli Məclisin tarixi. Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti Parlamenti (1918-1920-ci illər)" [The history of Milli Majlis. Parliament of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920)]. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ "Milli Məclisin tarixi. Azərbaycan SSR Ali Soveti (1920-1991-ci illər)" [The history of Milli Majlis. Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR (1920–1991)]. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ "Chair of the Milli Majlis". Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ^ "Aparat rəhbərinin xidməti" [Service of the Apparatus Service]. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ a b c "Centre for Eastern Studies. The triumph of the system". Archived from the original on 27 November 2010. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ "Committees of Milli Majlis". Website of the Parliament of Azerbaijan. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "Milli Məclisin tərkibi". Website of the Parliament of Azerbaijan. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "Disciplinary Commission". Website of the Parliament of Azerbaijan. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- ^ "Milli Məclisin orqanları" [Components of Milli Majlis]. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ "Milli Məclis". www.meclis.gov.az. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ Gafarova became Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 22 June 1989