Azerbaijan held a referendum today to extend the presidential term from five to seven years, a step that a European democracy watchdog said would hand unprecedented power to President Ilham Aliyev. Aliyev, 54, succeeded his father as president in 2003 and can seek re-election indefinitely after term limits were scrapped in another referendum seven years ago. There are 5.3 million eligible voters in the oil-producing, former Soviet republic. The authorities argue that a longer presidential term will make for more continuity in decision-making, which they describe as vital after a slump in world oil prices halted Azerbaijan's long run of economic growth. "One of the main tasks of the referendum is implementation of economic reforms in the post-oil boom period in Azerbaijan, the elimination of bureaucratic mechanisms and creation of an effective governing system," said Ali Hasanov, the president's assistant on political issues. European democracy watchdogs have said previous votes in Azerbaijan have been marred by vote-rigging and unequal access to the media. The Baku government denies the accusations. The Venice Commission, an advisory unit of the Council of Europe, a rights and...
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