Azerbaijan's Aliyev Starts Third Presidential Term
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Ilham Aliyev was inaugurated Saturday, starting his third term as Azerbaijani President after Constitutional Court confirmed his victory in last week's election.
Aliyev, candidate for the New Azerbaijan Party, carried 84.54 percent of the vote, the court announced after approving the Central Election Commission's final report on the Oct. 9 poll.
The result is final and cannot be canceled, changed, and formally challenged by any body or any official, said the Constitutional Court.
Jamil Hasanli, Aliyev's main opponent from the National Council, only gained 5.53 percent of the ballots, Xinhua reported.
This year's swearing-in was held immediately after the court's announcement, although in 2003 and 2008, Aliyev's inaugurations took place at least two days after the court's confirmation.
Aliyev was first elected in 2003, succeeding his father Heydar Aliyev, who died two months later. He won 76 percent of the vote that year and was re-elected in 2008 with 89 percent.
A referendum in 2009 abolished presidential term limits, enabling Aliyev to run again.
