General Information
At stake in this Referendum:
- National referendum on 41 different amendments to Azerbaijan's constitution, including an amendment that would eliminate presidential term limits.
Description of government structure:
- Chief of State: President Ilham ALIYEV
- Head of Government: Prime Minister Artur RASIZADE
- Assembly: Azerbaijan has a unicameral National Assembly (Milli Majlis) with 125 seats.
Main provisions in the Referendum:
- Constitutional amendment to eliminate presidential term limits. *
- Constitutional amendment that grants the President the power to postpone presidential and parliamentary elections for an indefinite period during a state of war.
* Azerbaijan's constitution currently limits presidents to two five-year terms. Adoption of this amendment will allow current President ALIYEV to run again for office in 2013.
Electoral Requirements
- Voters will vote on each of the 41 amendments. In order to be adopted, each amendment must receive a majority of "yes" votes, provided that at least 25 percent of Azerbaijan's registered voters participate.
Population and number of registered voters:
- Population: 8,947,243 (2009)
- Registered Voters: 4,917,805 (March 2009)
Gender Data:
· Female Population: 4,517,574 (2009)
· Is Azerbaijan a signatory to CEDAW: No
· Has Azerbaijan ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (10 July 1995)
· Gender Quota: No
· Female candidates in this election: N/A
· Number of Female Parliamentarians: 15 (as of 2005 elections)
· Human Development Index Position: 78 (2014)
· Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)
Disability Data:
· Is Azerbaijan a signatory to CRPD: Yes (9 January 2008)
· Has Azerbaijan ratified CRPD: Yes (28 January 2009)
· Population with a disability: 1,342,086 (est.)