Azerbaijani politics is characterized by a presidential system, where the President holds significant power over the government. The current President, Ilham Aliyev, has been in office since 2003, following the leadership of his father, Heydar Aliyev. The political landscape includes various parties, but the ruling party, New Azerbaijan Party, dominates the parliament. Elections in Azerbaijan have faced criticism for lacking transparency and fairness. The country has a multi-party system, but opposition parties often struggle to gain traction. Additionally, issues such as corruption and human rights have been points of concern for international observers and organizations.