Analysts consider renewal of Azerbaijani parliament a "change of scenery"

The Milli Majlis (parliament) changed its leaders: a chairman and three deputies were elected. Meanwhile, for the first time in the history of independent Azerbaijan, a woman was elected the speaker of the legislative body, and a representative of the parliamentary minority was elected one of the vice speakers of the parliament. However, analysts questioned the effectiveness of the new leaders. According to the analysts, the new faces are reactionaries and not reformers.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on February 9, the parliamentary elections were held in Azerbaijan, and the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced the victory of the ruling "New Azerbaijan Party". Activists reported massive violations. The Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan declared the elections to be valid despite the objections of hundreds of candidates.

Emin Guseinov, the executive director of the Institute for Reporters' Freedom and Security (IRFS), considers the complete renewal of the parliament leaders "a change of scenery."

"The political concept remained the same. The 'New Azerbaijan Party' has got an absolute majority again ... There is no opposition in the parliament, and the minority parties are loyal to the parliament regime," Emin Guseinov explained.