AZERBAIJAN ADOPTS ELECTORAL LAW.

On August 12 the nationalassembly (milli-mejlis) of Azerbaijan scheduled parliamentaryelections for November 12. The new unicameral parliament willbe comprised of 125 deputies, 100 of whom will be elected in territorialdistricts and 25 on party lists. The opposition parties had proposeda larger legislature and a greater proportion of deputies to beelected on party lists, and also more effective guarantees thatthey would be allowed to participated in the counting of the vote.But the pro-government majority largely ignored those proposals.Some of the opposition parties have been denied legal registration,notably the Popular Front whom the authorities have accused ofseeking the violent overthrow of the government. The Round Tablecoalition of 21 opposition parties is considering a boycott ofthe elections.

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