Azerbaijanis went to the polls today (26 September) in a controversial referendum on handing extra powers to long-serving President Ilham Aliyev, with opposition and human rights groups criticising the proposed constitutional changes as undemocratic.


The amendments would extend the president's term in office from five to seven years, and create a powerful new first vice-president position, and several other vice-presidencies. Removing the paragraph "no younger than 35" in the constitution, on requirements for presidential candidates, has also been proposed.

www.ann.az