President of Azerbaijan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Standard of the president
Incumbent Ilham Aliyev since 31 October 2003
Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan Executive branch of the Government of Azerbaijan
Residence	Zuğulba Residence in Baku (primary)
Term length	Seven years, unlimited number of terms
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Azerbaijan (1995)
Formation	18 May 1990; 35 years ago (1990-05-18)
First holder	Ayaz Mutallibov
Deputy	Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan (1991–2002) Prime Minister of Azerbaijan (2002–2017) Vice President of Azerbaijan (2017–present)
Salary	180,000 AZN annually
Website	The President of Azerbaijan

The President of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the country's head of state. This means the president is the top leader of Azerbaijan. The Constitution says the president is in charge of the government's executive power. This includes being the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The president also represents Azerbaijan in both local and international matters. The president works from the Presidential Administration building in Baku. This office has many secretaries and ministers who help the president. There is also a Cabinet of Ministers for economic and social issues. A Security Council helps with foreign, military, and legal topics.

Ilham Aliyev became the 4th president on October 31, 2003. He is the son of a former president, Heydar Aliyev. Ilham Aliyev became president after his father stepped down due to health reasons.

Becoming President: Rules and Elections

Who Can Be President?

To become president, a person must be a citizen of Azerbaijan. They must also have lived in Azerbaijan for at least 10 years. There is no age limit for candidates. The Constitution allows a person to be president for an unlimited number of terms.

How Elections Work

Each political group in the National Assembly can suggest a candidate. If a political party is not in parliament, their candidate needs 40,000 signatures. This rule was in place before some changes to the law.

How Long a President Serves

Before 2009, a president served for five years. They could only serve two terms. In 2009, a public vote removed the limit on terms. Another vote in 2016 made the term seven years long. The government said a longer term helps with making decisions. However, some groups, like the Venice Commission, worried this change gave the president too much power. They felt it could upset the balance of power in the country.

The Inauguration Ceremony

The president's official inauguration ceremony is not open to the public. It includes important state officials and representatives. These include political parties, public groups, military members, and religious leaders. Government members, National Assembly deputies, and the president's family also attend. Foreign guests are invited too.

The ceremony happens within three days after the Constitutional Court confirms the election. During this time, the president takes an oath.

"I swear, while exercising the powers of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to observe the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, to protect the independence and territorial integrity of the state, and to serve the people with dignity."

Then, the new president places their right hand on the Koran. They take another oath:

"I will remain faithful to the national moral values and traditions created by the Azerbaijani people for centuries, and I will always hold them high."

After this, the president bows and kisses the Azerbaijani flag. The ceremony ends with a speech from the new president.

Here are the places and dates of past presidential inaugurations:

What the President Does

Protecting the Constitution

The president makes sure that all laws and rules in Azerbaijan follow the country's Constitution. This means the president ensures that all parts of the government follow the main laws.

Leading Foreign Policy

The president has many rights to manage Azerbaijan's foreign policy. They decide Azerbaijan's place in international matters. The president also represents the country in international relations. They lead negotiations and sign important documents.

Military Leadership

The president is the supreme commander-in-chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces. This means they are the top leader of the military. In this role, the president can declare martial law if needed.

Groups Working Under the President

Presidential Administration

The Office of the President of Azerbaijan helps the president with their duties. It is located on Istiglaliyyat Street in Baku. Samir Nuriyev currently leads this office.

Security Council

A meeting of the security council.

The Security Council is a group that advises the president. It was created on April 10, 1997. This council helps the president use their powers related to national security. The president of Azerbaijan is also the chairman of the Security Council.

Here are the members of the council:

Symbols of the President

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  Flag of the supreme commander-in-chief

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  Standard of the president

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  Flag of the president of Azerbaijan on board a State Border Service ship

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  Flag of the president of Azerbaijan on board a Ministry of Emergency Situations ship

The Presidential Standard

After taking the oath, the president receives a special flag called the standard. This flag shows the president's high office. It is used on important occasions. The standard is a square version of the Azerbaijani flag. It has the Azerbaijani coat of arms in the middle. Golden fringe is added to the standard. Copies of this flag are used in the president's office and other state buildings. It is also used when the president travels in a vehicle within Azerbaijan. A different version of the flag is used when the president is at sea. This standard is the most common symbol to show the president's presence.

Military Flag

The flag for the supreme commander-in-chief of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces was approved on April 11, 2019. This flag is the official military symbol of the president. The original flag is kept in the president's service room at the Presidential Palace. It looks like the army flag but has the words "Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan" on it.

Presidential Badge

Badge of the President.

The president's badge was approved on September 15, 2008. It is shaped like an eight-pointed star made of 18-carat gold. The State Emblem of Azerbaijan is in the center. This emblem is surrounded by two rings with 60 diamonds between them.

Presidential Homes

The main presidential home since 2008 is Zagulba. The president also has several other homes outside of Baku. These include:

• Youth Presidential Palace
• Presidential Mountain Palace in Qabala
• "Freedom" Guest House
• Palace of Happiness
• Gulustan Palace
• Presidential Library
• "Marxal" Treatment and Recreation Complex

There are also several vacation homes:

• Novkhani, Novkhani, Absheron Rayon
• Khoshbulaq, Daşkəsən, Dashkasan District
• Göy Saray in Baku
• Vahdat Presidential Summer Palace in Shamakhi
• "Ulduz" Guest House
• "Youth" Guest House

Travel and Security

Cars which belonged to Heydar Aliyev in Heydar Aliyev Center (GAZ-13, ZIL-41047, 1991 W140-600, 1994 W140-limo)

The Special Purpose Garage provides transport for the president. This group is part of the Special State Protection Service. The president uses:

• Limousines like the Maybach 62 and Mercedes-Benz W221.
• BMW motorcycles for honorary escorts.
• Airplanes for long-distance travel. These include a Boeing 767-300ER (named "Baku-1"), an Airbus A319-100 (named "Baku-2"), and a Gulfstream G550.

The presidential aircraft look similar to regular AZAL planes. However, they have the Azerbaijan coat of arms or the Presidential Standard on the tail instead of the usual flag.

Presidents of Azerbaijan (1990–Present)

No.	President (birth–death)		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Ayaz Mutallibov Azerbaijani: Ayaz Mütəllibov (1938–2022)	18 May 1990	6 March 1992	1 year, 293 days	Communist	1. Mütəllibov II	1990 1991
			During his time, the First Nagorno-Karabakh War was ongoing. He resigned after pressure from the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party.
–		Yagub Mammadov (acting) Azerbaijani: Yaqub Məmmədov (born 1941)	6 March 1992	14 May 1992	69 days	None	—	—
			He was removed from power by an armed revolt led by the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party.
(1)		Ayaz Mutallibov Azerbaijani: Ayaz Mütəllibov (1938–2022)	14 May 1992	18 May 1992	4 days	None	Mütəllibov II	—
			He was removed from his position after the Azerbaijani Popular Front Party took control.
–		Isa Gambar (acting) Azerbaijani: İsa Qəmbər (born 1957)	18 May 1992	17 June 1992	30 days	Musavat	—	—
			He served as temporary president until the national elections in 1992.
2		Abulfaz Elchibey Azerbaijani: Əbülfəz Elçibəy (1938–2000)	17 June 1992	24 June 1993	1 year, 7 days	Azerbaijani Popular Front Party	2. Elçibəy I	1992
			During his term, the Russian army left Azerbaijan. The national currency, Azerbaijani manat, was introduced. He also helped establish the SOCAR oil company.
–		Heydar Aliyev Azerbaijani: Heydər Əliyev (1923–2003)	24 June 1993	10 October 1993	108 days	New Azerbaijan Party	3. H.Əliyev II	—
3			10 October 1993	31 October 2003	10 years, 21 days			1993 1998
			He founded the YAP. Important oil pipelines like Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline were developed during his time.
4		Ilham Aliyev Azerbaijani: İlham Əliyev (born 1961)	31 October 2003	Incumbent	21 years, 285 days	New Azerbaijan Party	6. İ.Əliyev I	2003 2008 2013 2018 2024
			Azerbaijan became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The country hosted the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 and the 2015 European Games.

Timeline of Presidents

Latest Election Results

2024 Azerbaijani presidential election

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de Azerbaiyán para niños

• Vice President of Azerbaijan
• Prime Minister of Azerbaijan