Azerbaijan, Baku, 20 November/ Trend , corr. I.Alizade /Both the governing New Azerbaijan party and opposition Great Establishment consider that political parties need in serious reforms. Azerbaijan needs in parties with new opinion, Siyavush Novruzov, the deputy executive secretary of New Azerbaijan party and member of the standing Committee of Parliament on security and defense, said at the "Azerbaijan's strategy of success in the 21st century" conference.
The role of political parties in the society was discussed at the round table, Trend reported.
There are over seventy political parties in Azerbaijan and fifty-three of which were registered in the Justice Ministry.
Political parties play an important role in the fate of any country.
"In the early of 1990s a lot of parties were founded in Azerbaijan, and only some of them are functioning today. Some parties suspended functioning, some changed their opinion and positions, while others are still functioning," MP said.
Novruzov stressed that the main task of political parties is to participate in election and the legislation offers favorable conditions for this purpose. "If any party does not participate in election, it loses its social base, and those who support it, becoming a base of other political organizations. Azerbaijani political parties need in serious reform. Parties must pass state registration once more, as well as serious reforms must take place within parties. There are parties whose leaders do not change for twenty years," Novruzov added.
MP believes that society does not support such parties.
Because they can not provide society with new ideas. "There is a serious need
for democratic governance within parties," Novruzov said.
MP Fazil Gazanfaroglu, the chairman of the opposition Great Establishment party, said that the necessity to hold reforms within parties arouse after the presidential election in Azerbaijan on 15 October.
"Azerbaijan has a multi-party system, which becomes apparent in quantity rather than in quality. At present, parties face crisis," Gazanfaroglu said.
The proportional election system must be restored in order to increase parties' role within the society. Parties must be financed from the public budget and supported to participate in elections. Azerbaijan needs in new opposition parties to understand conditions of the new century better.
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