Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
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Parliament

Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan

The Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan, which functioned approximately for 17 months, had its proper place in the history of Azerbaijani parliamentarianism. Having starting its activity on November 16, 1918, in Baku, the newly established National Council of Azerbaijan acting as the Supreme body of

Opening of the parliament. Baku, December 7, 1918

the power in the Republic on November 19, 1918, consisting of 120 members passed the law on establishment of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. 

On December 7, 1918, at 1 pm the first session of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan solemnly was opened for the first time in the Muslim East in the building of H. Z. Taghiyev’s maiden school. 

In parliamentary session at the proposal of the Musavat faction, Alimardan bey Topchubashov was elected as a Chairman of the parliament and doctor Hasan bey Aghayev was elected as the first deputy chairman.  At that time while A. M. Topchubashov was in Istanbul, H. Aghayev chaired the Parliament. On December 28, 1918, the government of Azerbaijan along with the Parliament’s council of old people (respected people) appointed a group of representatives to participate in the general peace conference in Europe to be sent to Paris under the chairmanship of A. M. Topchubashov.  

The adopted Law on the Parliament’s establishment provided that it was to consist of 120 members. The above-mentioned law provided 21 seats for the Armenian representatives and 10 seats for the Russian representatives – on the basis of Azerbaijan’s overall population ratio – neither of them participated in the first opening session of Azerbaijan’s Parliament. The Russian National Council joined the Parliament on January 31, 1919, while Armenians did the same only in February of the same year.

Commemorative medal dedicated to the
opening of the parliament

In late 1919, the Parliament approximately consisted of 96 members, representing 11 various parties, factions and groups. The ratio of political parties and associated powers comprising the Parliament was as follows: Musavat and unaffiliated persons faction consisted of 40 members, Ittihad – 14 people, Ahrar – 8 people, the Socialist bloc – 14 people, with no party affiliation – 4 persons, Independents – 4 persons, Russian – Slavic society – 5 persons, the Armenian faction – 5 persons, the Dashnaksyutun faction – 7 persons, and 7 persons – the faction of National Minorities.

The Parliament’s work directly complied with the Statute of Azerbaijan’s Parliament which played the role of its charter. Based on the Parliament’s Statute, the parliamentary sessions beginning from the very first one were necessarily held only in the Azerbaijani language. Other national representatives, however, could speak the Russian language. 

During a 17 month activity, the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan held 145 sessions. Fifteen of those sessions did not take place due to the lack of quorum. During the period of its activity, the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan discussed over 270 draft laws, of which it adopted about 230. The last session of the Parliament held on April 27, 1920, passed a resolution on transfer of power to Bolsheviks by peaceful means.

The composition of the Parliament of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan:

Chairman of the Parliament - Alimerdan bey Topchubashov   
1st Deputy Chairman - Mamed Yusif Djafarov
Deputy Chairman - Sultan Majid Ganizadeh (Ganiyev)
Secretary General of the Parliament – Baghir bey Rzayev
Secretaries – Mehdi bey Hajinsky, Bayram Niyazi Kichikkhanly

Musavat and independent factions

  1. Mammad Amin Rasulzade
  2. Hasan bey Aghayev
  3. Nesib bey Yusifbeyli
  4. Khalil bey Khasmammadov
  5. Mahammed Hasan Hajinsky
  6. Abbasgulu Kazemzadeh
  7. Musa bey Rafizadeh
  8. Javad bey Melikyeganov
  9. Mehdi bey Hajinsky
  10. Mehdi bey Hajibababeyov
  11. Rehim bey Vekilov
  12. Shafi beyRustambeyli
  13. Haji Selim Akhundzadeh
  14. Mustafa Mahmudov
  15. Asefbey Shikhalibeyov
  16. Abuzer bey Rzayev
  17. Ahmed Hamdi Garaaghazadeh
  18. Agha Aminov
  19. Neriman bey Nerimanbeyli
  20. Mirze Sadikh Akhundzadeh
  21. Museyib bey Akhijanov
  22. Mustafa Vekilov
  23. Mammad Baghir Shikzamanov
  24. Mammad Ali Rasulzade
  25. Murtuza Akhundov
  26. Rza bey Aghabeyov
  27. Mammad Rza Vekilov
  28. Jalil bey Sultanov
  29. Ashraf Taghiyev
  30. Mammad Yusif Jafarov
  31. Mirza Asadullayev
  32. Yusif Ahmedzade
  33. Bakhish bey Rustambeyov
  34. Fatali Khan Khoyski
  35. Agha bey Safaraliyev
  36. Asadulla Ahmedov
  37. Agha Ashurov
  38. Gulamhuseyin bey Kazimbeyov
  39. Yusifali Aliyev
  40. Mir Hidayet Seyidov

Ittihad faction

  1. Gara bey Garabeyli
  2. Mir Yagub Mehdiyev
  3. Gazi Ahmed bey Mammadov
  4. Jamil bey Lemberanski
  5. Bahram bey Vezirov
  6. Sultan Majid Ganizadeh
  7. Hamdulla effendi Efendizadeh
    A group of the members of parliament. 1920
  8. Zeynal bey Vezirov
  9. Heybetgulu bey Mammadbeyli
  10. Ali bey Zizinski
  11. Gara bey Aliverdiler
  12. Asad bey Amirov
  13. Iskender bey Akhundov
  14. Aga bey Safaraliyev
  15. Ahrar faction
  16. Aslan bey Gardashov
  17. Haji molla Ahmed Nuruzadeh
  18. Moukhtar efendi Efendizadeh
  19. Garib Kerimoghlu
  20. Bayram Niyazi Kichikkhanly
  21. Haji Huseyn Efendiyev
  22. Gasimoglu Haji Ali
  23. Abdulla efendi Gabulov

The Socialist faction

  1. Samed agha Aghamalioghli
  2. Ali Heydar Garayev
  3. Gasim bey Jamalbeyov
  4. Haji Kerim Sanili
  5. Ahmed bey Pepinov
  6. Jamo bey Hajinski
  7. Rza bey Garasharly
  8. Aslan bey Safikurdlu
  9. Ibrahim Abilzadeh
  10. Baghir Rzayev
  11. Vladislav Bakradza
  12. Akbar Sheyxulislamzadeh
  13. Ibrahim Ismayilzadeh
  14. Abbas bey Atamalibeyov
  15. Unaffiliated persons
  16. Bahram bey Akhundov
  17. Behbud khan Javanshir
  18. Abdulali bey Amirjanov
  19. Ahmed bey Agayev

Independents

  1. Alimardan bey Topchubashov
  2. Samed bey Mehmandarov
  3. Khudadat bey Melikaslanov
  4. Baba bey Gabulzadeh
  5. Left independent
  6. Abdulla bey Efendizadeh

Russian – Slavic society faction

  1. Victor Klenevski
  2. Vasili Kravchenko
  3. Sergey Remizov
  4. Fyodor Kotilevski
  5. M. N. Vinogradov
  6. National minorities faction
  7. Lorens Kun
  8. Moisey Gukhman
  9. Stanislav Vonsovich
  10. Vasil Kujim
  11. Dubrovski
  12. Ollongren V. K.
  13. Mikhailov S. M.

Armenian faction

  1. Arshak Paronyan
  2. Yervan Taghionosov
  3. Isag Khojayev
  4. Stepen Taghionosov
  5. Georgi Shahnazarov
  6. Dashnaksutyun faction
  7. Arshak Malkhazyan
  8. Khoren Amaspur
  9. Pogos Chubaryan
  10. Abgar Papyan
  11. Alexander Ter-Azaryan
  12. Bogdan Balayans
  13. Papyan I.