Azerbaijan: Opposition Mulls Presidential Election Boycott

Azerbaijani opposition leaders are condemning recent election code amendments, which they claim will scuttle any hopes for a free-and-fair vote in the upcoming October 15 presidential election. At the same time, they remain divided over the best way to respond.

On June 2, Azerbaijan's parliament, or Milli Majlis, adopted election code amendments that will slash the presidential campaign from four months to 75 days, and reduce the so-called media and voter "agitation period" from two months to 28 days. Barriers for registration as a candidate were also reduced. A prospective candidate now needs to gather 40,000 signatures (down from 45,000) and does not need to make a cash bank deposit to secure his or her candidacy.

Government officials have presented the changes as proof that they are not attempting to squash the opposition ahead of the presidential vote. Azerbaijan's "weak" opposition can only benefit from a shorter campaign period, Trend news agency reported parliamentary legal policy committee chairperson Ali Huseynov as saying on June 6.

"[The] experience of