Azerbaijan at the polls: 990 candidates competing

Azerbaijanis are heading to the polls for the 7th time to determine the members of the National Assembly.

In the country, which has 6 million 421 thousand registered voters, 990 candidates are competing for the 125-seat parliament.

Voting will continue until 19:00 local time. It is expected that the first unofficial results will be announced this evening.

POLLING STATIONS ESTABLISHED IN LIBERATED REGIONS

Polling stations have also been established in the regions that Azerbaijan liberated from Armenian occupation. Thus, for the first time in 30 years, parliamentary elections are being held across all of Azerbaijan's territories.

More than 42 thousand voters will cast their ballots in Shusha, the symbolic city of Karabakh, as well as in Khankendi—which was once used as a "capital" by the separatist Armenian administration—Khojaly, Khojavend, Aghdara, Aghdam, Jabrayil, Fuzuli, Zangilan, Gubadli, Lachin, and Kalbajar.

ELECTION WAS MOVED FORWARD

The National Assembly of Azerbaijan had applied to President Ilham Aliyev to "dissolve the parliament and move the general elections, which were planned for November, forward by two months" due to the country hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) from November 11-22.

President Aliyev had decided to dissolve the National Assembly and hold the general elections on September 1.

News Source: AA