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Qabil Ashirov

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Azerbaijan is going through extraordinary presidential elections, which many dub as victory elections due to the liberation of Garabagh and seven adjacent districts.

It is worth noting that this is the first presidential election in the history of independent Azerbaijan that is being held in the entire country. Besides, former IDPs are voting in their hometowns for the first time.

In addition, the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan living in Garabagh also use their rights to participate in the elections. More than 22,000 voters are expected to vote in the 26 polling stations created in the liberated territories. A total of 6,478,623 people will vote throughout the country.

Speaking to Azernews on the issue, Maxime Gauin, Associate Professor at ADA University and a researcher at the Institute for Development and Diplomacy, noted that the full liberation of Garabagh, the rise of the gross domestic product, is quite tangible with the construction of new buildings, new roads, new factories, new shops, etc., and the challenges of the future, i.e., continuing the reconstruction of the previously occupied territories.

However, the international environment is definitely tenser; more precisely, the war against Ukraine continues; allies of Iran are bombed by the U.S. and UK in reprisals for strikes against the U.S. army and civilian ships. But it also demonstrates, by contrast, the stability of Azerbaijan. Clearly, the efforts of the people since the 1990s led to the desired results.

“I can speak mostly about Baku because this is the city where I work and live. What dominates is satisfaction (especially in considering the liberation of what remained of the occupied Garabagh) and interest in the election. You can often see in shops posters reminding people of the election date and inciting the population to vote. I noticed around me a vivid desire to go to the ballots and often what deserves to be called enthusiasm about the election. Massive popular participation is, by itself, a very positive factor,” M. Gauin said.

The pundit pointed out that this is the first election to be held in all of Azerbaijan. Even during the first independent republic (1918–1920), Azerbaijan was battling for control of a large part of its territory: not only Zangazur, which lost as a result of the Sovietization of the South Caucasus, but also Garabagh. Then, there was no real election until the collapse of the Soviet Union.

“Now, the people of Azerbaijan decide without the burden of the occupation, without the frustration of the 2020-2023 period, when the illegal separatist regimes continued their provocations. I will always remember a discussion, just after the separatists raised the white flag, with students of ADA who, of course, had always known occupation of all (until 2020) or part of Garabagh. They were amazed at how it ended in barely 24 hours. As you know, Arayik Harutyunyan asked to vote. It may be called ridiculous (actually, it is), but it shows the scope of the change. Who would have bet on such an outcome one year ago? Definitely not him, anyway. Besides the borders of Azerbaijan, it is clear that Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine are looking at your country and dream of having elections soon in a similar context, Maxime Gauin concluded.

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Qabil Ashirov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @g_Ashirov

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