Ilham Aliyev

Ilham Heydar oghlu Aliyev is the fourth president of Azerbaijan.

He has held this position since 2003. He also serves as the leader of the New Azerbaijan Party. Since 2005, he has led this ruling political group. His wife, Mehriban Aliyeva, serves as the Vice President of the nation. Azerbaijan is a country located in the Caucasus region. It possesses significant natural wealth, specifically in oil and gas. This energy wealth helps stabilize his regime and enrich the ruling elite. This wealth also allows the country to host expensive international events.

Aliyev's career began with extensive academic and professional training. He was born on December 24, 1961. He attended the Moscow State Institute of International Relations. In 1985, he earned a PhD in history. He worked as a lecturer at that institute until 1990. Later, he managed private industrial-commercial enterprises. From 1994 to 2003, he held leadership roles at SOCAR. SOCAR is the state-owned company for Azerbaijan's oil and gas. He also served as the president of the National Olympic Committee starting in 1997.

His transition to political leadership was tied to his father, Heydar Aliyev. Heydar Aliyev was the president from 1993 to 2003. In 2002, a constitutional referendum changed the line of succession. It made the prime minister the next person in line for the presidency. In August 2003, Ilham Aliyev was appointed prime minister. This happened as his father's health declined. The National Assembly confirmed his appointment with 101 votes out of 125. However, opposition parties boycotted this vote. They believed this move was an attempt to create a political dynasty.

Aliyev won his first presidential election on October 15, 2003. He received 76.84% of the votes. However, the election was marked by significant irregularities. Human Rights Watch and other groups documented fraud and police violence. They also reported the arrest of opposition candidates. Despite these reports, Aliyev was inaugurated on October 31, 2003. During his first term, he focused on the energy sector. A major milestone was the completion of the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline in May 2005. This project allowed Azerbaijan to export oil to Europe and the United States.

His ability to stay in power changed due to legal shifts. In 2008, Aliyev was re-elected with 87% of the vote. In 2009, a constitutional referendum was held. This referendum removed term limits for presidents. This meant Aliyev could run for office indefinitely. He subsequently won elections in 2013, 2018, and 2024. In the 2013 election, he claimed 85% of the vote. During that specific election, a new smartphone app accidentally released results before voting ended.

International organizations have raised many concerns about his government. Aliyev is often described as a dictator presiding over an authoritarian state. Critics point to the absence of free and fair elections. They also report pervasive corruption and serious human rights violations. In 2012, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project named him "Person of the Year." This was due to stories involving crime and corruption. In 2017, reports linked his family to the "Azerbaijani laundromat." This was a complex scheme used to move money and influence European politicians.

His presidency has also been defined by military conflict. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict escalated into a full-scale war in 2020.

Following a military siege and an offensive in 2023, the situation changed. Azerbaijan expelled all Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh. The territory was then reincorporated into Azerbaijan. His government is also known for suppressing certain religious groups. Specifically, it has promoted Sunnification and suppressed Shia Islam to increase control. These actions aim to align the country more closely with Turkey.