Political forces in Azerbaijan loyal to President Ilham Aliyev appeared set to retain a dominating majority in the next parliament following elections September 1 that independent observers characterized as “a contest devoid of competition.”

Preliminary results showed that Aliyev’s New Azerbaijan Party will retain an outright majority in the 125-seat legislature. The overwhelming number of remaining seats are expected to be filled by nominally independent candidates and representatives of other parties, almost all of them seen as strong backers of the president’s policies. The voting was originally scheduled to take place in November, but was moved up by two months so as not to coincide with Azerbaijan’s hosting of the annual UN climate conference, or COP29.

In a statement, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said the electoral process was not free. 

The “elections took place in a restrictive political and legal environment that does not enable genuine pluralism,” according to the OSCE statement. “The campaign was barely visible and generated limited public engagement. While a high number of candidates stood for election, the contest lacked a competitive nature and voters were not offered genuine political alternatives.”

Citing a government crackdown on dissent in recent months, marked by the arrests of “political actors, human rights defenders, civil society activists, academics and journalists,” the OSCE noted Azerbaijan’s general “political environment does not allow in practice the free expression of the opinions of the electors.”

Local election monitors reported that they were obstructed from observing the balloting. One observer posted a video on Facebook of facing harassment while attempting to record suspected voting irregularities.

In one of the higher-profile contests, an Aliyev critic running as an independent candidate, Vafa Nagi, asserted that she was defeated via fraud. She complained that election officials declined to allow video recording at election stations in her district.

The OSCE called attention to gender inequality in Azerbaijani politics. “Women remain underrepresented in elected and appointed positions,” the OSCE stated, adding “there are no affirmative measures to enhance their political involvement, which is further hindered by persisting gender stereotypes.”

Meanwhile, Amnesty International issued an appeal September 1 calling for the release of dissenters caught up in the almost year-long government crackdown, including two recent detainees, Bahruz Samadov and Igbal Abilov. 

“As Azerbaijan prepares to host COP29 in November this year, it is imperative that world leaders hold the government accountable for its ongoing human rights abuses,” the Amnesty International appeal stated. “We call for the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained merely for exercising their human rights.”