Azerbaijani parliament votes for proposing to president dissolving parliament, holding early parliamentary elections
BAKU. Dec 2 (Interfax) - The Azerbaijani National Assembly (Milli Majlis) approved by a majority of votes at a plenary meeting on Monday the call for proposing to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that the parliament be dissolved and early parliamentary elections be held, an Interfax correspondent reported.
The call passed by 99 votes, one was against, and one abstained.
Azerbaijani Parliament Deputy Speaker Bakhar Muradova read out the statement of the ruling party New Azerbaijan calling for renewing the composition of the Milli Majilis.
"The policy of reforms carried out by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has reached a whole new level. Structural changes and reshuffling, which are taking place in the government, central and local executive authorities, and the judiciary, or, to put it briefly, everywhere, are welcomed by the people. Systemic reforms, new challenges, public expectations, and other factors have resulted in deeper legislative reforms and updating the parliament," the statement said.
Muradova said the parliament should catch up with the national reforms. "Therefore, the parliament has decided to propose to the president that it be dissolved and early elections be held," she said.
Parliament Speaker Oktay Asadov said after the ballot that the parliament might hold its last plenary meeting of 2019 on December 3.
Now, the Azerbaijani president is due to announce the date of early parliamentary elections.
Last Thursday, the Political Council of the ruling party New Azerbaijan unanimously voted to recommend to parliament and the president that the parliament be dissolved and early parliamentary elections be held.
This could be the first early parliamentary elections in the history of Azerbaijan.
The country was supposed to hold the next parliamentary elections in November 2020.