The ruling party Yeni Azerbaijan (New Azerbaijan) led by President Ilham Aliev has put on a political show by refusing to use free airtime on the Public TV of Azerbaijan as part of its election campaign.

According to the draconian election law, only the political forces that prove able to register their candidates at 60 of the 125 constituencies have the right to airtime. Of course, under Ilham Aliev’s authoritarian regime the ruling party proved the only one to register its candidates. So, as a grand gesture, it renounced its right to airtime.

To imitate electioneering on the screens, the Central Electoral Commission of Azerbaijan decided to provide four minutes on the Public TV to each candidate in election districts. Since the ruling party has registered 112 candidates, including the “independent” candidates at the service of the ruling regime, most of them will certainly praise the “national leader” Heydar Aliev and his son Ilham.

The parliamentary elections are to be held in Azerbaijan on November 7. Since 2005, parliamentary elections have been held by the majority principle. In Ilham Aliev’s initiative, the slate system was abolished, which reduced the possibility of the Opposition getting into Parliament to a minimum. The international community goes on turning a blind eye to the lack of equal opportunities for political forces, broadcasting censorship and use of administrative levers in Azerbaijan.