Azerbaijan: opposition forms coalition in support of democratic presidential election

In Azerbaijan, the Civil Movement for Democracy "Public Chamber"(CMDPC) has supported – after public hearing on December 4 on 2013 presidential election – the memorandum on electoral reform. However, some of the debaters expressed doubt on the possibility to change the situation in the country through elections and spoke in favour of protest actions with the aim to force the authorities to start democratic reforms.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 29 civil activists presented the document named "Memorandum on main directions for improving electoral legislation and support of democratic nature of the presidential election in October 2013". It authors moved a proposal to all political forces of the country to discuss their proposals and draw joint measures towards reforming the electoral legislation.

The memorandum assumes reforming in six directions: firstly, amending the election system and restoration the mixed majority-proportional system of the elections (to the parliament); secondly, it is assumed to change the principals of forming election commissions towards "a properly balanced presentation in the of the main political forces on equal terms"; thirdly, simplification of the registration procedure; fourthly, extension of the campaign duration up to 120 days (under the current legislation, the period makes 60 days, – note of the "Caucasian Knot"), of the pre-election agitation phase – up to 60 days (under the current legislation – 22 days), and cancellation of restrictions imposed on the freedom of assembly, and setting up equal conditions for candidates to campaign in electronic mass media.

The remaining – the fifth and sixth – directions assume a fair consideration of complaints – through setting up independent research groups; and ensuring transparency of vote tabulation through introduction of parallel tabulation.