Azerbaijan’s ruling party has won the parliamentary elections boycotted by the main opposition parties, the country’s electoral commission said.
The ruling New Azerbaijan party had won at least 70 seats in the 125-seat parliament, the commission said. A host of small parties and candidates loyal to President Ilham Aliyev took almost all the rest.
“The pre-election period was marred by massive violations. That’s why we decided not to participate,” opposition Musavat Party leader, Arif Gajily, told Reuters.
The opposition has accused the government of jailing opponents. International monitors from the OSCE did not observe the vote, citing government restrictions.
More than a dozen political parties were vying for 125 seats in Azerbaijan’s National Assembly.
