AZERBAIJAN’S DRAFT ELECTORAL LAW CHALLENGED

. Azerbaijan’sopposition parties threaten to boycott the country’s parliamentaryelections unless the government changes key provisions of thedraft electoral law, Interfax reported August 8. The oppositiondemands that the number of parliamentary seats be raised to 181from the envisaged 121, and that half of the seats be contestedon party lists, instead of one fifth as the draft provides. Themain opposition parties include the formerly ruling Popular Front,which was denied legal re-registration last week; the historicMusavat party, and the Social-Democrats. The current legislatureis dominated by President Heydar Aliyev’s supporters.

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