Baku — Azerbaijan's recent parliamentary elections represent a significant stance against foreign interference, according to Jean-Michel Brun, chief editor of the Paris-based online newspaper La Gazette du Caucase.

According to Trend News Agency, the elections hold special symbolic value as they are the first to be conducted across all regions of Azerbaijan following the liberation of territories occupied by Armenian forces for nearly three decades. The elections come after a focused effort by Azerbaijani authorities to rebuild infrastructure and cities destroyed in the conflict, allowing displaced residents to return and participate in the electoral process from their reconstructed homes.

The return of these residents to political life in Karabakh is seen as a pivotal moment for national unity and a step toward normalizing relations in the region. However, Brun notes, stability in the South Caucasus remains delicate, influenced by Armenian nationalists and external powers that support rearming Armenia, aiming to maintain influence in this strategically vital area.

Brun praises Azerbaijan's commitment to conducting a democratic election as a positive sign for its sovereignty and regional stability. He highlights the extensive international observation, with representatives from over 40 countries and nearly 30 organizations, aimed at ensuring the election's integrity. This level of scrutiny and the successful hosting of such a monitored election could, according to Brun, enhance Azerbaijan's international image and affirm its democratic progress.