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Azerbaijan goes to the polls in what is little more than a show presidential election. Despite a push to unite the opposition behind a single candidate, President Ilham Aliyev will likely win a third term, consolidating the power of the Aliyev dynasty, which has held the presidency since 1993 when his father first took office, stated the Human Rights organization Transparency International.

According to the document, though the 1995 constitution allowed maximum of two terms for the presidency, a controversial referendum in 2009 scrapped term limits, which has paved the way for Aliyev the run for a third term. “In a country that is overwhelmingly controlled by one family and its circle of connections, it has been impossible to develop a democracy where people have real choice and believe their votes count,” the report reads.

The ruling party can effectively dominate political campaigns using its power to control the media. In the same time, ruling party candidates use public resources to fund their campaigns and any public protest results in strict crackdowns by the police. It also notes that Many opposition politicians have had been arrested on trumped up charges and critical journalists also find themselves harassed or jailed.

“There will be international election monitors saying the votes were free and fair. What the monitors won’t be able to address are the months of campaigning during which opposition candidates were denied the kind of media access and resources to mount campaigns that were likely to reach the voters,” the organization states.

According to the TI analysts although the government has introduced a number of different laws over the years to fight corruption, the civil society does not have the tools to hold government to account. In addition, the judiciary is not independent of the government, allowing those with connections to the ruling elite to act with impunity.

Today Azerbaijan holds presidential elections. The previous presidential elections were held on 15 October 2008. The incumbent president Ilham Aliyev is on this position for two terms already - since 2003. In March 2009 a referendum on making amendments to the Constitution was held in Azerbaijan, which repealed the restriction on one person remaining in office for more than two consecutive terms. The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe stated in this regard, "Giving one person the right to be repeatedly elected to the presidency is seen as a step backwards in the development of democracy."