Ruling party claims lead in Azerbaijan vote
Opposition charges election rigged Vows to begin non-violent struggle
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN—
The ruling party of Azerbaijan claimed victory in parliamentary elections yesterday but the oil- rich former Soviet republic appeared on the brink of political upheaval as the opposition accused the government of rigging the vote and vowed a Ukrainian-style Orange Revolution.
After weeks of pre- election police crackdowns on opposition rallies, fears were high that demonstrations could lead to increased violence.
Azerbaijan’s ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party has won nearly half the seats in parliament according to partial poll results, the country’s election chief said today.
Central Election Commission chairman Mazahir Panahov said the party had won 58 seats in the 125-seat parliament in yesterday’s vote, while the biggest opposition bloc, Azadliq — made up of the top three opposition parties — so far had only five votes. Independent candidates had taken 33 seats, Panahov told a news briefing.
Yeni Azerbaijan’s executive secretary, Ali Akhmedov, predicted his party would retain its dominance of parliament.
“ We are expecting a majority,” he said, adding that the elections were “transparent, just and democratic.” But the opposition was quick to denounce the vote.
“ This election did not reflect the will of the Azerbaijani people. It was totally falsified,” said Ali Kerimli, chief of the Popular Front Party and a top leader of Azadliq. “ Now we will start the constitutional non- violent struggle for the invalidation of these fraudulent results.” The opposition said it had evidence of more than 21,000 voting irregularities in all but 12 of the country’s 125 constituencies, including theft of ballot boxes, voter intimidation and abuse of a new anti- fraud system to ink voters’ thumbs with ultra- violet markings. The opposition — inspired by the mass protests that overthrew authoritarian regimes in Ukraine and Georgia — promised to organize demonstrations in the capital Baku this week.
Yet there was little sign of the kind of broad Western support for the opposition that was key in the Ukrainian and Georgian revolutions. International oil companies have invested billions in Azerbaijan to tap the vast oil reserves of the Caspian Sea and fear instability. Washington also sees the Muslim country of eight million as an important ally in containing neighbouring Iran. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe ( OSCE), which fielded a 600strong election observer mission in Azerbaijan, is to release a report on the election today that is expected to set the tone for Western reaction to the vote. The opposition worries that Western support for the election results will give authorities a free hand to violently suppress demonstrations.