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Election Officials: Ruling Party Wins in Azerbaijan
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(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=FAD30D:3919ACA

Opposition alleges fraud and pledges peaceful protests until results
are overturned; international observers have not yet announced their
findings





An Azeri woman casts her ballot in Baku, AzerbaijanAzerbaijan's
Central Election Commission says President Ilham Aliyev's party has
won Sunday's parliamentary election while the opposition alleges
widespread fraud.

Commission chairman Mazakhir Panakhov said early results show the Yeni
Azerbaijan Party winning at least 58 seats in the 125 seat parliament,
with the rest going to opposition and independent candidates.







Ali Kerimli

But opposition leader Ali Kerimli says the vote did not reflect the
people's will. He says the opposition will hold peaceful protests
until the results are overturned.

Election officials say the few reported irregularities were not enough
to affect the outcome. They call the vote transparent and just.
International observers have not yet announced their findings.

The United States says free elections are vital to the future of the
country, and U.S.-Azerbaijani relations.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.


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