On Monday, Mazahir Panahov, the Chairman of the Azerbaijani Central Election Commission (CEC), informed reporters that seven individuals have submitted documentation to register as candidates in the upcoming presidential election next month.
 
"A total of 17 candidates have been nominated to run for the presidency. Seven of the 17 people, whose nominations have been approved, have already filed their signature sheets and other necessary papers to the CEC for further registration. Three candidates have already been registered, and the documents of four other people will be considered at the CEC meetings in the coming days," Panahov said. 
 
Mazahir Panahov, the Chairman of the Azerbaijani Central Election Commission (CEC), mentioned that the CEC has set up local election commissions in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, reclaimed by Baku last September. He further stated that the polling stations in the region have been equipped with the necessary facilities. 

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in office since 2003, declared an early presidential election on February 7, 2024, on December 7. Aliyev is eligible for reelection for a fifth term due to constitutional amendments in 2009 that removed the term limit for the head of state. Additionally, in 2016, the president's term was extended to seven years.

In September, Azerbaijan took control over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, populated mainly by ethnic Armenians. The Nagorno-Karabakh authorities declared that the unrecognized state would cease to exist from January 1, 2024.