Domestic

Home page

Domestic

Azerbaijan CEC sums up referendum results

11 October 2016 14:41 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ramiz Mikayiloghlu – APA. Azerbaijan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) on Tuesday passed a decision to wrap up the final count of vote at the constitutional referendum held in the country on September 26, 2016 and announce the referendum results.

According to the decision, as more than half of voters voted for each part of the 29 Articles of the draft Referendum Act which was put to a referendum, the document must be considered approved. According to the document, the CEC shall confirm the protocol and finalize the referendum, the draft Referendum Act which proposed annexes and amendments to the Constitution shall be considered approved, the results of the referendum shall be announced and the text of the act approved by the referendum shall be published. The decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

The draft Referendum Act proposes 39 annexes and amendments to 29 articles of the Constitution.

The Constitutional Court approved the draft Referendum Act on July 25.

According to the document, it’s planned to extend the presidential term from 5 years to 7 years.

It is proposed to remove the paragraph “no younger than 35” in the Constitution on requirements to candidates to the post of the President of Azerbaijan. Also, it is proposed to establish first vice-president and vice-president positions in Azerbaijan.

Under to the effective Constitution, whenever the President of Azerbaijan resigns from his post ahead of time, the country’s Prime Minister carries out presidential powers. However, according to the proposed amendments, the first Vice-President is authorized to carry out the presidential powers.

The document also gives the Azerbaijani President additional power to dissolve the parliament and declare early presidential elections.

Additionally, according to the proposed amendments, persons who have the right to participate in the elections (at the age of 18) can be elected to Milli Majlis (parliament). Previously, persons no younger than 25, had the right to be elected to the parliament.

The draft amendments also contain a constitutional ban on the establishment of associations that might pose a threat to the country’s national security.

The effective Azerbaijani Constitution does not authorize the country’s President (as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces), in contrast to army officer, to give direct orders to the commands of the National Guard and Internal Troops as well as officers of the Armed Forces. According to the proposed amendments, the Armed Forces will consist of the Azerbaijani Army and other armed formations. Thus, the President of Azerbaijan will also be the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of armed formations.

Moreover, the draft Referendum Act provides greater protection of human rights and freedoms.