Parliamentarism: Traditions and Perspectives -106 Years

By Mazahir Afandiyev

The Azerbaijani Parliament is now marking one of its most significant historical milestones: the 106th anniversary of the inaugural session of the Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first democratic and secular state in the Muslim East.

This highlights an atmosphere of unity and represents one of the most outstanding periods in the history of the Azerbaijani people. By guaranteeing representation from all national ethnic groups, political parties, and religious communities, the first parliament placed a high priority on democratic participation. Unquestionably, a key component of the future democratic and multicultural state was the parliament's high degree of inclusion.

Despite only being in operation for 17 months, this parliament, which had 99 members from 11 political parties, convened 145 sessions during which more than 270 legislative drafts were examined and 230 of them were passed.

The Azerbaijani Parliament then only existed in a formal sense during the Soviet era. The nation did not resurrect its legislative traditions until the latter part of the 20th century.

I would like to point out that issues pertaining to the interaction between the government and civil society became more difficult at the start of 1990 as a result of Azerbaijan's political and economic change. As a democratic political system cannot endure without honouring human rights and freedoms, the traits of these interactions were closely linked to upholding domestic stability, comprehending these rights and freedoms, and promoting constructive political dialogue.

In June 1993, the Azerbaijani people sought the return of national leader Heydar Aliyev, citing the threat of civil war and loss of independence. As a result, on June 15, 1993, he was chosen chairman of Azerbaijan's Supreme Council.

Heydar Aliyev followed legislative traditions and emphasized the rule of law from the start of his tenure as Chairman. Parliamentary meetings, press conferences, and national consultations were all broadcast live. During his tenure as the head of the parliament, parliamentary traditions were revitalized, and a healthy political climate was developed. The National Leader was successful in redefining the essence of the parliament and establishing a political discourse culture.

The scenario at the time highlighted the importance of developing a national legislative structure to defend human rights in Azerbaijan. Heydar Aliyev created Azerbaijan's first Constitution, which was ratified in a national referendum on November 12, 1995, demonstrating his devotion to democratic norms. He also called for the first parliamentary elections in independent Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani parliament started to actively contribute to the completion of the nation's political structure in 1995. The Republic of Azerbaijan's draft laws, which promote political dialogue, national unity, and the protection of our state's independence, were approved by the Milli Majlis and the president of Azerbaijan in the previous period. These measures directly stimulated the political stability of the country's population.

Today, the Parliament plays a pivotal role in Azerbaijan's multi-vector foreign policy. Over the years, the Milli Majlis has established international activity through inter-parliamentary friendship groups, high-level conferences, and collaborations with influential global organizations.

It is no accident that the Milli Majlis hosted an International Parliamentary Conference on "Parliamentarism: Traditions and Prospects" on December 7, 2024, an important day for Azerbaijani parliamentarians. About 13 participants from the parliaments of 100 countries and international organisations attended the conference I attended as a member of the Milli Majlis.

The conference, inaugurated with a comprehensive speech by the speaker of the Milli Majlis, featured contributions from parliamentarians from Turkey, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iraq, Belarus, Georgia, Malaysia, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan, as well as the secretary general of TURKPA. They praised the Azerbaijani Parliament's role in fostering inter-parliamentary relations on various platforms.

In addition to reflecting on the parliament’s challenging yet honourable history over 106 years, the conference concentrated on cooperative measures to achieve future objectives, with a particular emphasis on regional and global peace and security.

On December 8, conference participants visited the liberated territories of Karabakh—Fuzuli, Shusha, Khankendi, and Khojaly—to witness the rapid reconstruction and restoration works carried out under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev.

We can confidently state that as long as our independent state exists, the Azerbaijani parliament will continue to support the sustainable development of our nation, reflecting the aspirations of our people, President Ilham Aliyev's vision for the future, and the brilliant ideas of national leader Heydar Aliyev.

Mazahir Afandiyev, the author is a member of the Azerbaijani Parliament