Azerbaijani President Aliyev unexpectedly decreed a snap Presidential election for February 7, 2024, with limited explanation for the decision. Speculations suggest this move aims to ease the political agenda for 2025, when parliamentary elections are scheduled, and to capitalize on Aliyev’s current popularity following the Karabakh victory. Aliyev has been in power since 2003, with his current term set to end in early 2025.