Results of social survey taken in Azerbaijan in run-up to presidential election revealed

BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 2. The primary objective of the sociological survey in Azerbaijan is to assess the population's preparedness for voting ahead of the presidential election, gauging its involvement in the country's political landscape and understanding public opinion related to the election, said representative of Oracle Advisory Group George Birnbaum during a press conference in Azerbaijan's Shusha, Trend reports.

He highlighted that the questionnaire comprises several categories, including "The level of awareness of the population about the presidential election," "Attitude towards the current state of the country," "The level of political activity of the population," "Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict," and "Support for the Second Karabakh War."

George Birnbaum highlighted that in response to the question "Have you participated in the presidential election in Azerbaijan before?" 34.9 percent answered "almost every time," 28.4 percent responded with "always," and 11.1 percent indicated "many times." This signifies a notable level of electoral engagement within the population.

To assess the population's awareness of the presidential election, when queried about "What is the most important problem Azerbaijan is currently facing?" 2.3 percent mentioned the economic situation, 34.9 percent mentioned employment, 27.1 percent indicated salaries, 0.4 percent highlighted Azerbaijan's role in the international arena, 0.1 percent pointed to crime, 14.1 percent expressed concerns about corruption, 6.7 percent referenced education, 0.2 percent mentioned ecology, 13.1 percent addressed healthcare, and 1.1 percent focused on domestic violence.

Voters express confidence in the country's progress "in the right direction" and in the success of the President.

When questioned about their assessment of the overall direction Azerbaijan is heading, 81.2 percent of voters indicated "the right direction," while 12.3 percent expressed it as "the wrong direction."

In response to the question "How would you assess the work done by President Ilham Aliyev?" 96 percent of voters chose "excellent," 2.5 percent opted for "good," and 0.8 percent said "satisfactory."

Furthermore, voters perceive Azerbaijan as a secure place to reside. When asked, "Do you agree that Azerbaijan, unlike other countries, is the most stable country in the region?" 85.4 percent of respondents affirmed with a "yes."

In response to the question, "If a presidential election was scheduled for today and the following persons were candidates, for whom would you vote?" the majority of respondents expressed satisfaction with the current head of state. Accordingly, 97 percent named President Ilham Aliyev, 1.2 percent mentioned Zahid Oruj, 0.7 percent referred to Fazil Mustafa, 0.5 percent considered Razi Nurullayev, 0.3 percent mentioned Gudrat Hasanguliyev, 0.2 percent brought up Fuad Aliyev, and 0.1 percent indicated Elshad Musayev.

Moreover, the public views the triumph in Karabakh as a significant achievement for Azerbaijan. When asked, "Did you support the large-scale military operations conducted to restore the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan?" 98.50 percent of respondents provided a positive response, underscoring a strong national spirit.

Regarding the question, "How, in your opinion, did the restoration of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity affect the country's authority in the international arena?" 72.5 percent of respondents selected "positively," 2.6 percent opted for "negatively," and 24.9 percent chose "neutrally."

All responses reflect the population's stance toward the current government's activities, signifying the belief and support of the population for the incumbent government.

The responses to the question regarding the attitude toward President Ilham Aliyev, contained in this section, enable the formation of a conclusive understanding of voters' political preferences and eventual voting outcomes.

Thus, based on the outcomes of the pre-election survey specifically focused on gauging public opinion on President Ilham Aliyev's actions, it can be concluded that the population has faith in the leadership provided by President Ilham Aliyev and backs his political approach.

The American Oracle Advisory Group organization and the Citizens' Labor Rights Protection League determined that the population is well informed about the upcoming presidential election on February 7. This highlights the effectiveness of education and information campaigns undertaken by the state.

On December 7, 2023, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on holding an extraordinary presidential election in the country on February 7, 2024.

The Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan (CEC) on December 19 approved the candidacy of Ilham Aliyev, nominated by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), for participation in the extraordinary presidential election.

Azerbaijan has registered 7 candidates to run in the extraordinary presidential election.