BAKU (Armenpress)–Azerbaijan’s incumbent president Heydar Aliev–80–has officially been nominated for re-election as head of state–according to the Iranian Newspaper Irna. The Yeni Azerbaijan (New Azerbaijan) party–headed by Aliev announced Aliev’s candidacy on Monday.
This is Aliev’s third bid for the presidency. He was elected president in 1993 and 1998. However–the Azeri constitution stipulates that a candidate can be elected as head of state only for two five-year terms.
But because the Azeri constitution came into effect in 1995–Azeri lawyers argue Aliev is not barred from running for a third term because he has only been elected to office once since the implementation of the constitution.
The presidential election will take place on October 15. All required documen’s of the candidate named by the ruling party will be submitted for registration to the central electoral commission of the republic before the end of the week.