Off the wire
• 1st Ld Writethru: China, India agree to step up counterterror cooperation  • China opposes to U.S. charges against Chinese companies  • Kenya mulls incentives to expand shipbuilding industry  • Rwanda eyes deals at Africa hotel investment forum  • Saudi Arabia, Iran diverge over impending informal OPEC meeting in Algiers  • 1st LD-Writethru-China Focus: Major construction of world's longest cross-sea bridge completed  • Isolate "rogue elements" behind violent student protests in SA: minister  • Duterte accuses U.S. of "undermining" Philippine peso  • Pakistani forces complete major anti-terror operations: spokesman  • Kiev welcomes decision of European Parliament's committee to back visa-free regime with Ukraine  
You are here: 　 Home

Constitutional amendments approved by majority in Azerbaijan

Xinhua, September 27, 2016 Adjust font size:

A clear majority of Azerbaijani voters gave the green light in a referendum to a series of constitutional amendments, including extending the president's tenure from five to seven years, according to the country's election commission on Tuesday.

Voter turnout for the referendum was 69.7 percent, or close to 3.7 million people, surpassing the 25 percent threshold required to validate the referendum.

The announcement on Tuesday by the Central Election Commission (CEC) was based on information received from 5,627 polling stations from 125 constituencies,

Around 84.2 percent of voters backed the extension of the president's tenure from five to seven years, according to the CEC. That means President Ilham Aliyev, in office since 2003, would not have to run again until 2020, instead of 2018.

Meanwhile, voters also supported the establishment of the Institute of Vice Presidency and the cancellation of age restrictions for presidential candidates, according to the commission.

Furthermore, Azerbaijanis now may be elected to parliament beginning at the age of 18 instead of 25.

Several amendments concern the rights and freedoms of citizens.

The vote was monitored by observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States. Endi