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| Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan | |
|---|---|
| Name | Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan |
| Native name | Milli Məclis |
| Legislature | 6th Convocation |
| House type | Unicameral |
| Leader1 type | Speaker |
| Leader1 | Sahiba Gafarova |
| Leader2 type | First Deputy Speaker |
| Members | 125 |
| Political groups | New Azerbaijan Party, Civic Solidarity, Motherland Party, opposition groups |
| Meeting place | Parliament Building, Baku |
| Established | 1995 (current constitution) |
Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan is the unicameral national legislative body seated in Baku responsible for enacting law, ratifying treaties, and overseeing certain aspects of state administration under the Constitution of Azerbaijan (1995). Formed in the modern Republic after the dissolution of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, it evolved from earlier representative institutions including the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR and the legislative organs of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920). It operates within the constitutional framework that defines relationships with the President of Azerbaijan, the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, and the judiciary, including the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan.
The legislative tradition traces to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic parliament and later to the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR under Soviet Union structures; following independence movements of the late 1980s and early 1990s, transitional bodies such as the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan presided over the early republican period. The current Milli Majlis was constituted under the Constitution of Azerbaijan (1995), with subsequent constitutional amendments shaping its competencies after events like the 1993 Azerbaijani coup d'état attempt and political consolidations under Heydar Aliyev and Ilham Aliyev. International processes including negotiations over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and agreements like the Treaty on the Eurasian Economic Union debates influenced parliamentary activity and external relations.
The assembly comprises 125 deputies elected from single-member constituencies; leadership includes the Speaker of the National Assembly (currently Sahiba Gafarova), deputy speakers, and a secretariat. Political representation features major parties such as the New Azerbaijan Party, the Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, and the Ədalət (Justice) Party alongside independents and smaller groupings. Legislative sessions and committee work take place in the Parliament Building near Government House, Baku; procedural rules reference instruments like the Electoral Code of Azerbaijan and internal regulations influenced by comparative models such as the Seimas and other parliaments.
Constitutional powers include adoption of laws, approval of the state budget, ratification of international treaties, declaration of war, and appointment powers in conjunction with the President of Azerbaijan for posts such as the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan and members of the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan. The body exercises oversight through questioning ministries such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Azerbaijan), the Ministry of Defense (Azerbaijan), and the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Azerbaijan), and participates in appointments to judicial bodies including the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan and the Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan. Lawmaking interacts with statutes like the Criminal Code of Azerbaijan and the Civil Code of Azerbaijan.
Bills may originate from deputies, the President of Azerbaijan, the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan, or popular initiative mechanisms specified in the Constitution of Azerbaijan (1995). Draft legislation proceeds through committee review, three readings in plenary session, and adoption by majority vote; presidential assent follows with possibilities for veto and override. Treaties undergo ratification processes and accession scrutiny, as occurred with accords affecting Council of Europe membership and interactions with the OSCE Minsk Group. Emergency procedures apply in wartime or constitutional crisis, as during escalations in the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War.
Permanent committees cover portfolios including defense, foreign affairs, economic policy, social policy, legal affairs, and regional development; examples include the Committee on Defense, Committee on Foreign and Interparliamentary Relations, and Committee on Legal Policy. Parliamentary groups and factions organize deputies by party affiliation such as the New Azerbaijan Party faction, cross-party initiatives, and friendship groups with legislatures like the Federal Assembly (Russia), Grand National Assembly of Turkey, and Parliament of Iran. Interparliamentary relations involve delegations to institutions like the Inter-Parliamentary Union and cooperation with the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.
Deputies are elected for five-year terms under the Electoral Code of Azerbaijan using majoritarian single-member district elections; the Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan administers voting, candidacy registration, and results certification. High-profile election cycles include the 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025 convocations, each contested by parties such as the Musavat Party and monitored by international observers from entities like the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe.
The assembly's interactions with the President of Azerbaijan involve legislative initiative, appointment confirmations, and checks such as interpellation; relationship with the Cabinet of Ministers of Azerbaijan includes budgetary oversight and hearings. Judicial appointments and legal review intersect with the Constitutional Court of Azerbaijan and the Supreme Court of Azerbaijan, while coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Azerbaijan) frames treaty-making and foreign policy stances. In security matters, cooperation occurs with the Ministry of Defense (Azerbaijan), the State Border Service of Azerbaijan, and the National Security Service (Azerbaijan).
International observers and domestic critics have raised concerns about electoral transparency, media freedom linked to institutions like the Azerbaijan Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, and the balance of powers under presidents such as Ilham Aliyev. Organizations including the OSCE and Human Rights Watch have issued reports influencing parliamentary reform debates, while the assembly pursues interparliamentary diplomacy with parliaments of Turkey, Russia, European Union member states, and regional bodies like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Ongoing scrutiny addresses legislative independence, anti-corruption measures referencing the Commission on Combating Corruption of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and alignment with international legal standards from the European Court of Human Rights.
Category:Politics of Azerbaijan Category:Parliaments