Azerbaijani experts: election outcome is predefined, which makes other candidates passive

The presidential election campaign in Azerbaijan goes in an atmosphere of predefined results, local observers assert.

The general atmosphere of the pre-election situation in Azerbaijan, which was characterized by passivity of the society and predictability of the election outcome, was reflected in the election campaigns of candidates. This was noted by blogger Bakhtiyar Gadjiev, an expert in the field of political technologies, a graduate of HarvardUniversity. According to his statement, except for the candidate-in-power, all other candidates possess extremely limited resources.

The election campaign in Azerbaijan unfolds in the atmosphere of unequal opportunities. This was acknowledged by Togrul Djuvarly, a member of the Azerbaijan National Public Committee for European Integration (ANPCEI).

"Perhaps, the only notable action was an active campaign of Djamil Gasanli. Prior to the election campaign, he was not known to people who were not interested in issues of politics. However, in a short time, thanks to his strong criticism of the authorities during the TV debates, he managed to draw attention to himself. That fact has contributed to the consolidation of the protest votes. Of course, this is not enough to win the election; however, there is a foundation to preserve unity of the opposition in the post-election period with a view to a more active and successful participation in the parliamentary elections," Togrul Djuvarly told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.