OSCE observers: Azerbaijan needs to do much more to make progress in developing a truly pluralist democracy

PanARMENIAN.Net - Loyalists of President Ilham Aliyev swept the board in the November 7 parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, amid allegations of serious violations.

The Central Election Commission said that with 90 percent of the vote counted, Aliyev's Yeni Azerbaycan (New Azerbaijan) Party increased its share in the 125-seat parliament to more than 70 seats.

Loyal candidates appeared to have taken all the rest of the seats.

The Central Election Commission, the ruling party, and election monitors from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) declared the vote free and fair.

But Western observers said that the elections, though "peaceful" and with opposition participation, were marred by "serious violations. The monitors, led by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), said that "despite all the efforts made, the country needs to do much more to make progress in developing a truly pluralist democracy", FRL/RE reported.