Azerbaijan's referendum approved all the changes to the Constitution

Almaty. September 27. Silkroadnews – On Monday Azerbaijan held a national vote (referendum) on introduction of amendments to the Constitution. Citizens expressed their attitude towards the amendments proposed to 23 articles of the Basic Law and to 6 new articles suggested to be added.

According to TASS, all the changes to the Constitution, as initiated by President Ilham Aliyev, have been approved. These are the preliminary results the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced late at night after counting of votes received from 70.2% of the sites.

As chairman of the Central Election Commission Mazahir Panahov said, voter turnout for the elections was 69.7%. The referendum has been attended by 3 million 671 thousand 707 citizens, surpassing the 25 percent required to validate the referendum. In this regard, the head of the Central Election Commission confirmed that «the referendum has been recognized as valid».

According to the results of the referendum, the President of Azerbaijan has for the first time ever been empowered to dissolve the Milli Majlis (Parliament). According to the CEC, 87.4% of voters supported this provision's addition.

«If twice in one year legislators of Milli Majlis of the Azerbaijan Republic pass no-confidence measures in the government or reject the required number of candidates for collegial work of the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan Republic, Supreme Court of the Azerbaijan Republic and Board of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan Republic (...) after a double representation by the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the President of Azerbaijan Republic will dissolve the Milli Majlis», the article says.

The term of office of the President of Azerbaijan has been extended from five to seven years, this amendment has been supported by 91.2% of voters.

The referendum also resulted in introduction of the first vice-president and vice-presidents’ positions as supported by 89.3% of voters. The position of the first vice-president of Azerbaijan goes the second after the president's post in the state hierarchy. Such an amendment to the Constitution of the country has been supported by more than 87% of participants of the referendum, the chairman of the CEC stated.

According to the amendment, in case of the president's early resignation his duties until the election of a new head of the state are to be carried out by the first vice-president. Thus, the new amendment makes the prime minister to give place to the first vice-president in the power hierarchy.

Also in the referendum approved the abolition of the minimum age for presidential candidates, previously it was 35, and lowered the age for election to the legislature from 25 to 18. These amendments have been supported by 91% and 88.3% of participants respectively.

Overall, the referendum introduced 29 amendments to the basic law related to public administration system, human rights and freedoms. Voting took place at 5627 sites over 125 electoral districts. Under the law, the CEC has 25 days to summarize the results. As the CEC secretary Arifa Mukhtarova reported earlier, the final results will be announced not later than October 21.