President Aliyev retains countrywide approval

/By AzerNews/

By Aynur Karimova

The results of a nationwide public opinion poll conducted by Rey Monitoring Center on June 13-15 have once again proved that the vast majority of Azerbaijan's population trusts incumbent President Ilham Aliyev.

The results show that if, hypothetically, a presidential election were to be held in Azerbaijan next Sunday, 87.3 percent of voters would select Ilham Aliyev for President, AzerTac state news agency reported.

In response to the question about whether Ilham Aliyev “represents the interests of people like you,” about 83 percent of respondents said "yes" (completely or partially), 5 percent said "no", and 4 percent said "rather no, than yes". The remaining 8 percent remained undecided.

The report is based on the results of an 'omnibus' public opinion survey conducted by way of 'face-to-face' interviews of 1,500 respondents aged 18 and over. It has a 2.7 percent margin of error.

Polls conducted in previous years also showed a high approval rating for Ilham Aliyev in Azerbaijan. One particular poll, held in 2011 by Rey Monitoring Center, showed that 83 percent of respondents would reelect Ilham Aliyev as Azerbaijan's president. Another poll in the same year also reinforced this result, with 84.1 percent. In 2013, two polls showing an approval rate of 81.2 percent and 84.7 percent, once again displayed President Aliyev's outstanding reputation among his nation.

The results of these opinion polls are shining examples of the successful domestic and foreign policies pursued by Ilham Aliyev, the successor of founder of the modern Azerbaijan, National Leader Heydar Aliyev.

Azerbaijan, trust into modernity

Ilham Aliyev has been pursuing the strategic course laid out by his father, National Leader Heydar Aliyev.

Over the past 10 years, he has significantly improved the living standards of Azerbaijani citizens. Under his guidance, the country has developed rapidly.

Typically, successful development in a country is a result of a strong vision. And as a result of President Aliyev's future-oriented strategies, Azerbaijan has been moving forward with its ambitious development goals since 2003.

Today, Azerbaijan is one of the world’s fastest growing countries. Azerbaijan’s development strategy, implemented by President Aliyev, is aimed not only at economic growth and political stability, but also increasing human capital and improving civil society.

The reforms carried out over the past 10 years by President Aliyev, particularly in terms of the diversification of the country's economy, social policy, oil strategy, GDP per capita, and efficient allocation of budget revenues, have all served to set Azerbaijan apart from its country peers.

Under the leadership of Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is modernizing its education, reforming its judiciary, infrastructure, and agriculture along with many other sectors of the economy.

Over the past 10 years, the GDP increased by 3.4 times, the non-oil sector by 2.6 times, budget revenues by 16 times, and the volume of strategic currency reserves exceeded $50 billion. More than one million new jobs have been created during Ilham Aliyev’s term as President. The rates of poverty and unemployment have also significantly reduced among all population cohorts, including the youth.

Religious tolerance is a virtue that prevails in Azerbaijan, as representatives of various peoples and religions live in peace and harmony. Azerbaijan is also recognized as one of the world’s greatest proponents of multiculturalism.

Azerbaijan is steadily gaining recognition for hosting a number of high-level international events, such as the Baku 2015 First European Games, which has defiantly raised the public profile of the country and its people.

The first-ever European Games, an exciting and innovative multi-sport event for the continent, taking place on June 12-28, 2015, is an indicator of President Aliyev's forward-thinking policies.

One of President Aliyev's primary goals has been to use Azerbaijan's natural resources in order to ensure prosperity for ten generations. Ilham Aliyev, with his visionary and comprehensive energy policy, has turned Azerbaijan’s natural resources into a sustainable development tool for the country.

A successful energy policy

Ilham Aliyev's strategy has yielded enormous benefits for Azerbaijan. The President has taken an active role in implementing and expanding the national oil strategy designed by Heydar Aliyev. His energy policy also plays an important role in attracting foreign investments into the country.

President Aliyev had also made great contributions to the region’s largest transit project, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which was successfully commissioned to transport Caspian oil to foreign markets.

The Trans-Anatolian and Trans-Adriatic pipeline projects—the world's largest Azerbaijani-initiated energy projects—are designed to change the energy map of Europe.

This energy policy has also paved the way for transforming and diversifying various sectors of the Azerbaijani economy and has ultimately turned Azerbaijan into regional power with global plans.

Ilham Aliyev has been able to decisively and purposefully introduce the aggressive stance of Armenian invaders violating the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan to the world. He has successfully represented the interests of Azerbaijan at various international meetings and high-level negotiations.

Today Ilham Aliyev continues to pursue a wise and purposeful foreign policy aimed at turning Azerbaijan into a leading country across the South Caucasus.

Trusted governance

The Azerbaijani people put their faith in their elected leader Ilham Aliyev as the head of state for three times, in 2003, 2008 and 2013.

In all presidential elections, an overwhelming majority of voters (76 percent in 2003, 88 percent in 2008, and 84.54 percent in 2013) voted for President Aliyev.

The results of exit polls held by international and local organizations in 2013 testified to the legitimacy of the presidential elections in Azerbaijan.

An exit poll conducted by the French OpinionWay Research Institute revealed that Ilham Aliyev had sealed his victory, gaining a major 82.8 percent of votes.

The results of the exit poll conducted by the NGO Cooperation Alliance also indicated that nearly 84 percent of the popular vote went to the incumbent president.

A poll conducted by U.S. Arthur J. Finkelstein & Associates (AJF) among 60,000 respondents said that President Aliyev won 82.7 percent of the votes.

Similar results were recorded from exit polling conducted by the local West-Resource Public Association for the support of civil society development, as well as ELS Independent Research, which cited the victory of Ilham Aliyev by the majority of votes.

The Azerbaijani people made their choice. They voted for political stability, prosperity and sustainable socio-economic development.