On October 18, 1991, when Azerbaijan gained its independence it declared itself the political and legal successor of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. The first years of independence were extremely difficult for the country, which was experiencing formidable problems and major political turbulence. Since the beginning of 1993, a deep socio-economic and moral-psychological crisis has prevailed in the country. All this led to a general crisis. As Armenia’s military aggression expanded, the contradictions between the government and the army command in the country deepened. The insubordination of a military unit under the command of Colonel Surat Huseynov led the country into total chaos. Representatives of the state who had gone to Ganja were taken hostage. The leadership of the mutinous military unit demanded the resignation first of the prime minister and the chairman of the Milli Majlis, and then of the president. The situation was spiralling out of control, the heads of executive power in the surrounding districts were forcibly changed and the rebels moved towards Baku.

Of course, the Azerbaijani people were looking for a way out, to emerge from the situation when the country was on the verge of collapse. Chairman of the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic Heydar Aliyev has become a saviour for the country.

But national leader Heydar Aliyev’s returning to power in 1993 marked a turning point in the situation. The people wanted Heydar Aliyev and saw the way to salvation in the person of Heydar Aliyev. Heydar Aliyev, who came from Nakhchivan on 9 June 1993, to Baku on popular demand in that difficult period, became the savior of the young independent state of Azerbaijan in the truest sense. The meeting agenda of the Milli Majlis held on 13 June included the question of the resignation of Isa Gambar, President of the Supreme Soviet, and the question of the election of the President of the Supreme Soviet. The meeting, which was attended by Heydar Aliyev at the invitation of the authorities, discussed the events in Ganja. Isa Gambar was dismissed from his post as Speaker of Parliament.

Heydar Aliyev carried out a major political initiative to stop the civil war in Azerbaijan. By holding talks in Ganja he neutralised the military opposition.
President Abulfaz Elchibey, who attended the meeting, openly admitted in his speech that the situation in the country was difficult and that the government was powerless to resolve the situation on its own.

On June 15, 1993, Heydar Aliyev was elected as chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Azerbaijan. That day went down into the history of Azerbaijan as National Salvation Day.

Tandem of Azerbaijani Popular Front Party and Musavat Party moved into opposition instead of helping Heydar Aliyev overcome these difficult problems.

On the night of 17-18 June, President Abulfaz Elchibey secretly left Baku for the Nakhichivan Autonomous Republic, where he was born. Although he was repeatedly offered to return and lead the country, each time he refused to return. On 23 June, the Milli Majlis handed over the presidency to Heydar Aliyev, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet.

The Azerbaijani public was rallying around its leader, Heydar Aliyev. A referendum of no confidence in Abulfaz Elchibey was held on 29 August 1993 pursuant to the resolution of the Milli Majlis. A vote of no confidence in the President was expressed by 97.5% of the referendum participants. New presidential elections were called.

Three candidates ran in the presidential election. Heydar Aliyev represented the Yeni Azerbaijan party, Kerrar Abilov the United Azerbaijan party and Zakir Taghiyev the Hummet party. Equal opportunities for candidates were created for propaganda and campaigning.

Heydar Aliyev and two minor party candidates ran in presidential elections held on 3 October, 1993. Voter turnout was about 90 percent, of which almost 99 percent voted for Heydar Aliyev. Thus, Heydar Aliyev became the third President of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The Act on the Repeal of the Act on Rules of Taking the Oath of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan (dated 16 June, 1992) was passed on 9 October 1993. And on October 10, 1993, inauguration ceremony was held at the Palace of the Republic (now Heydar Aliyev Palace –  M.G.).

A new stage in the history of the Azerbaijani people and statehood began. It was a stage of state-building, the creation of a modern state, development, the cessation of Armenian military aggression and the implementation of reforms in all spheres of the country’s life.

1998 was the year of another presidential election in the Republic of Azerbaijan. In the five years since October 1993, in addition to protecting Azerbaijan from danger of disintegration and extinction as a state, Heydar Aliyev did extremely intensive and fruitful work to prepare and realize large-scale international economic agreements on the utilization of natural resources and favourable geo-strategic position of Azerbaijan in accordance with the national interests. Economic reforms, the establishment of the market economy, ensuring economic development, Azerbaijan’s integration into the world economy, implementation of the privatization program and agrarian reforms were priority directions of Heydar Aliyev’s activity.

On 9 June 1998 the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the Election of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan was passed. The adopted law reflected all the requirements for free, independent and fair presidential elections in Azerbaijan and was in line with general democratic principles.

Although President Heydar Aliyev did not want to participate in the elections, the people of Azerbaijan gave him great support. On 7 August 1998, members of four electoral associations and 11 initiative groups established in the country, as well as hundreds of thousands of voters who had collected signatures for the nomination of Heydar Aliyev, asked him to agree to participate in the forthcoming presidential elections. Heydar Aliyev responded positively to these persistent appeals.

Candidates registered were Etibar Mammadov, chairman of the National Independence Party of Azerbaijan; Nizami Suleymanov, chairman of the Independent Azerbaijan Party; Firudin Hasanov, chairman of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan; Ashraf Mehdiyev, chairman of the Geyrat Party; and Khanhuseyn Kazimli, chairman of the Social Welfare Party of Azerbaijan.

On 11 October 1998, the country held another presidential election. The fourth presidential election, also based on the first Constitution adopted in 1995.
More than 3,358,465 voters participated in the elections. Heydar Aliyev got 77.6% of votes, Etibar Mammadov, considered the main opposition candidate, got 11.8%, Nizami Suleymanov 8.2%, Firudin Hasanov 0.9%, Ashraf Mehdiyev 0.9%, Khanhuseyn Kazimli 0.3%. And 0.3% of eligible voters didn’t vote for either presidential candidate. Heydar Aliyev thus won a convincing victory in the elections that reflected the will of the Azerbaijani people.

Moreover, the confident victory of the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, prominent statesman and political figure Heydar Aliyev in the presidential elections guaranteed a continuous and stable development for the country.

Giving his consent to be nominated as a candidate in the 15 October, 2003 presidential elections, he decided not to run at the elections in connection with problems in health. Thus, two weeks before the scheduled presidential elections, Heydar Aliyev withdrew his candidacy in favour of Prime Minister Ilham Aliyev.

President Ilham Aliyev successfully continues the policy of building a democratic, legal and secular state of the great son of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev.

Recommended literature:

1. Hacıyev, İsmayıl Muxtar oğlu. Heydər Əliyev siyasəti: tarix və müasirlik: monoqrafiya / İ. M. Hacıyev; red. İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli; AMEA Naxçıvan bölməsi.- Təkmilləşmiş, əlavələr edilmiş II nəşr.- Bakı: Elm, 2023.- 336 s.
2. Hüseynov, Sənan Elçin oğlu. Gəncliyə örnək olan həyat / S. E. Hüseynov; elmi red. Y. P. Əhmədov.- Bakı: ADNSU, 2023.- 126 s.
3. Qurbanov, Habil Surxay oğlu. Heydər Əliyev Azərbaycanda milli qanunvericiliyin və hüquqi dövlətin yaradıcısıdır / H. S. Qurbanov.- Bakı: Nafta-Press, 2023.- 310 s.
4. Muradova, Zəhra Bilal qızı. Heydər Əliyev və Qarabağ / Z. B. Muradova; elmi red. H. Məmmədova.- Bakı: Orxan NPM, 2023.- 192 s.
5. Hüseynov, Ceyhun. Bir millət, iki şəxsiyyət: monoqrafiya / C. Hüseynov; Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət Nazirliyi.- Bakı: Aspoliqraf, 2022.- 360 s.
6. Qurbanov, Sadiq Haqverdi oğlu. Zamana sığmayan lider: Heydər Əliyevin idarəçilik və varislik fəlsəfəsi / S. H. Qurbanov ; elmi red. Ə. Muradov; red. C. Cəfərov; Azərbaycan Dövlət İqtisad Universiteti.- Bakı: İzə, 2022.- 436 s.
7. Əliyev, Rauf Feyzulla oğlu. Əsrə bərabər illər / R. F. Əliyev; red. M. Məmmədoğlu.- Naxçıvan: Əcəmi NPB, 2021.- 496 s
8. Mədətli, Eynulla Yadulla oğlu. Heydər Əliyev - İlham Əliyev: azərbaycançılığın zəfər yolu: monoqrafiya / E. Y. Mədətli; elmi red. İ. R. Məmmədzadə; AMEA Fəlsəfə və Siyasi-Hüquqi Tədqiqatlar İnstitutu.- Bakı: Turxan NPB, 2021.- 272 s.
9. Azərbaycan Milli Ensiklopediyası. Azərbaycan. Bakı: “Azərbaycan Millin Ensiklopediyası” Elmi Mərkəzi, 2007, 882 səh.
10. Azərbaycan Respublikası 1991-2001. Bakı: XXI-YNE, 2001, 280 səh.
11. Azərbaycan Respublikasının tarixi (1991-2003). 1-ci cild. Bakı: Azərbaycan Tarixçiləri İctimai birliyi, 2016, 704 səh.  
12. Qasımlı Musa. Azərbaycan Respublikasının tarixi (1991-2021). 2 cilddə. I cild (1991-2003). Bakı: Bakı Dövlət Universiteti, 2021, 384 səh.
13. Müstəqillik yollarında. Məqalələr toplusu. Bakı: Şərq-Qərb, 2016, 628 səh.