Aliyev assures OSCE/ODIHR chief monitor that election will reflect people's will
BAKU. March 30 (Interfax) - The April 11 presidential election in Azerbaijan will be transparent and fair, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said.
Aliyev met with the head of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) election observation mission, Corien Jonker, in Baku on Friday, a statement posted on the presidential website said.
"Aliyev said at the meeting that he is confident that the upcoming election will be democratic, fair, and transparent, comply with election laws, and reflect the will of the people of Azerbaijan," the statement said.
The next presidential election was supposed to be held on October 17, but on February 5, President Aliyev signed an order moving it ahead to April 11.
There are eight candidates: Ilham Aliyev, nominated by the ruling party, Eni Azerbaijan, self-nominee Sahid Oruj, Araz Alizade of the Social Democratic Party, Gudrat Hasanguliyev of the Popular Front Party, Faraj Guliyev of the National Revival Movement Party, Hafiz Hajiyev of the Modern Musavat Party, Razi Nurullayev of the Frontier's Initiative Group, and Sardar Jalalolgu of the Democratic Party.
Ilham Aliyev has led Azerbaijan since 2003. He was re-elected in 2008 and 2013.
Under the constitutional changes approved in the fall of 2016, the country's president will be elected for a seven-year term.