Lack of popular support is key reason for split within Azerbaijan’s opposition: ruling party official

“Azerbaijani opposition parties’ establishing in a single bloc under a slogan of unification and subsequent withdrawals from it and splits have become common,” member of Azerbaijani parliament from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party and NAP Deputy executive Secretary Mubariz Gurbanli said commenting on a recent split inside the Azerbaijan opposition.

"At various times, the opposition parties formed unions which later disintegrated. Naturally, this is opposition’s internal affair. The reason for these splits is the opposition’s lack of popular support,” he said.

Gurbanli said number of opposition supporters reduce over time.

"Opposition parties fight among themselves for the small part of the electorate that supports them,” he added.

"The biggest problem of the opposition is that it can not abandon old ideas and is not aware of reality. The leaders of the current opposition have been the same persons who always voiced the same abstract thoughts. As a result, they can not find support. The key reason for this is the appropriate policy of the Azerbaijani government which pursues a policy in the interests of the people. The people support the government resulting in reduced number of opposition electorate. Inter-opposition squabbles have become even more acute,” he said.

"As to the opposition’s participation in municipal elections, we would like to meet it in the political arena. But opposition parties have not yet nominated a sufficient number of candidates. The problem of the opposition is that it can not  offer an alternative to the policy of the authorities which results in reduction of its electorate,” Gurbanli said.

/Day.Az/