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Azerbaijan's Ruling Party Wants Referendum On Third Term For President

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December 16, 2008

BAKU -- The ruling Yeni Azerbaycan Party (New Azerbaijan Party) has suggested that parliament vote for a referendum that would ask voters if they wanted to lift the ban on a third-term presidency in Azerbaijan.

Deputy Ali Ahmedov, who is also an executive secretary of the ruling party, has insisted on holding a parliament hearing on the issue.

Zahid Oruj, a deputy from the pro-government Ana Vatan Party, told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service that parliament's Law and State Policy Commission is to propose legislation about a referendum that will be ready for parliament to consider in the coming weeks.

President Ilham Aliyev was elected to his second term on October 15 for five years in an election deemed neither free nor fair by international organizations.

The proposal to lift the ban on a third term has been widely criticized by opposition parties.

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by: Kazim from: Sadigov

December 25, 2008 17:09

Here we go. The nation of sycophants. I am ashamed to be an Azeri. In civilized countries, congress people are usually men of integrity. In Azerbaijan they are all sycophants kissing the hands of their rulers. Now they want a king and not a president. Our national character is behind this comedy/tragedy. We do not respect ourselves enough to principled. All we care about is to kiss our bosses hand so that we'll get some money to buy jewelry and cars to show off to our neighbors and relatives. The culture of kiss-ups. While most nations progress forward, we gladly regress backwards, towards monarchy and feudalism. And the people are asleep, fed by the formerly high prices of oil. Will they demand something more when the money stops coming in? Let’s hope so. I still hope that our people is not hopeless. And shame on president Aliyev. A man of integrity, a truly historical figure, would have declined this bakshish of his hand-kissing servants, and said no to this blow to democracy. But then again, why expect anything more from a person whose only claim to legitimate power is that he once used to be a sperm of the previous ruler. Shame on Azerbaijan!!!