Prime Minister of Azerbaijan

Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan
Emblem of Azerbaijan
Incumbent Artur Rasizade since 4 November 2003
Appointer	Ilham Aliyev, as President of Azerbaijan
Inaugural holder	Hasan Hasanov
Formation	7 February 1991

The Prime Minister of Azerbaijan is the head of government of Azerbaijan. The current prime minister is Artur Rasizade.

Due to the central role of the President in the political system, the activities of the executive branch (including the Prime Minister) are significantly influenced by the head of state (for example, it is the President who appoints and dismisses the Prime Minister and other members of the Government; the President may chair the meetings of the cabinet and give obligatory orders to the Prime Minister and other members of the Government, the President may also revoke any act of the Government).

Historical background

In the era of the Soviet Union, the head of government was the Chairman of Council of People's Commissars (until 1946) and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (after 1946). People who held those positions are sometimes referred to as the prime ministers. They may have also been referred to as Premier of Ministers, or simply premier.

Succession of the presidency

In case of the President's death, resignation or impeachment, the Prime Minister becomes a temporary president until new presidential elections which must take place within three months. The Prime Minister acting as president may not dissolve the National Assembly, announce a referendum or propose amendments to the Constitution.

List of Heads of Government of Azerbaijan (1918–present)

Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918–1920)

Prime Ministers

№	President		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days
1		Fatali Khan Khoyski Fətəli-xan Xoyski (1875–1920)	28 May 1918	14 April 1919		Independent	1. Rasulzade I	1918
			Won the Battle of Baku; removed the Centrocaspian Dictatorship from power in Baku; established a multi-party system; established of postal system of Azerbaijan; founded Azerbaijani manat; established Azerbaijani language in all schools and colleges.
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Musavat/meta/color;"| 2		Nasib Yusifbeyli Nəsib Yusifbəyli (1881–1920)	28 May 1919	30 March 1920		style="background:Template:Musavat/meta/color;"|Musavat	2. Topchubashov I	1919
Established diplomatic ties between Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and Western world.
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Musavat/meta/color;"| —		Mammad Hasan Hajinski (acting) Məmməd Hacınski (1875–1931)	30 March 1920	28 April 1920		style="background:Template:Musavat/meta/color;"|Musavat	—	1920
Failed to slow down the advance of 11th Red Army on Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic (1922–1936) and Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic (1936–1991)

Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars

№	Chairman		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days
1		Nariman Narimanov Nəriman Nərimanov (1870–1925)	28 April 1920	6 May 1922		Communist (Bolsheviks)	1. Hüseynov I	—
			Tried to promote anticolonial program leading to native rule than to a means for the dominance of an industrial proletariat, which refused by Kremlin.
2		Gazanfar Musabekov Qəzənfər Musabəyov (1888–1938)	6 May 1922	14 March 1930		Communist	2. Kirov I	—
			During the Great Purge, he was arrested, accused of plotting against the Soviet state, sentenced to death and executed.
3		Dadash Bunyadzade Dadaş Bünyadzadə (1888–1938)	14 March 1930	23 October 1932		Communist	3. Polonski I	—
			During the Great Purge, he was arrested, accused of plotting against the Soviet state, sentenced to death and executed.
4		Mir Jafar Baghirov Mir Cəfər Bağırov (1896–1956)	23 October 1932	12 December 1933		Communist	4. Polonski I	—
			Followed Stalin's orders without question; Purged Azerbaijani intelligentsia, communist leaders who had sympathized with the opposition or who might have once leaned toward Pan-Turkism.
5		Huseyn Rahmanov Hüseyn Rəhmanov (1902–1937)	12 December 1933	22 August 1937		Communist	5. Bağırov I	—
			During the Great Purge, he was arrested, accused of plotting against the Soviet state, sentenced to death and executed.
6		Teymur Guliyev Teymur Quliyev (1888–1965)	13 November 1937	28 March 1946		Communist	6. Bağırov I	—
			Followed Mir Jafar Baghirov's orders without question; Purged Azerbaijani intelligentsia, communist leaders who had sympathized with the opposition or who might have once leaned toward Pan-Turkism.

Chairmen of the Council of Ministers

№	Chairman		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days
1		Teymur Guliyev Teymur Quliyev (1888–1965)	28 March 1946	6 April 1953		Communist	1. Bağırov I	—
2		Mir Jafar Baghirov Mir Cəfər Bağırov (1896–1956)	6 April 1953	20 July 1953		Communist	2. Yaqubov I	—
			Followed Stalin's orders without question; Purged Azerbaijani intelligentsia, communist leaders who had sympathized with the opposition or who might have once leaned toward Pan-Turkism.
3		Teymur Guliyev Teymur Quliyev (1888–1965)	20 July 1953	1 March 1954		Communist	3. Yaqubov I	—
			Expelled from Communist Party of Azerbaijan for gross violations of social legitimacy and actively promoting crimes of Mir Jafar Baghirov.
4		Sadig Rahimov Sadıq Rəhimov (1914–1975)	1 March 1954	8 July 1958		Communist	4. Mustafayev I	—
			Restored Azerbaijani language as the official language of the Azerbaijan SSR.
5		Vali Akhundov Vəli Axundov (1916–1986)	8 July 1958	10 July 1959		Communist	5. Mustafayev I	—
6		Mammad Isgandarov Məmməd İsgəndərov (1915–1985)	10 July 1959	29 December 1961		Communist	6. Axundov I	—
7		Anvar Alikhanov Ənvər Əlixanov (1917–1992)	29 December 1961	10 April 1970		Communist	7. Axundov I	—
8		Ali Ibrahimov Əli İbrahimov (1913–1985)	10 April 1970	22 January 1981		Communist	8. H.Əliyev I	—
			Temporarily improved economic conditions and promoted alternative industries to the declining oil industry.
9		Hasan Sayidov Həsən Seyidov (1932–2004)	22 January 1981	27 January 1989		Communist	9. H.Əliyev I	—
10		Ayaz Mutallibov Ayaz Mütəllibov (1938–)	27 January 1989	26 January 1990		Communist	10. Vəzirov I	—
			Black January.
11		Hasan Hasanov Həsən Həsənov (1940–)	26 January 1990	7 February 1991		Communist	11. Mütəllibov I	—

Republic of Azerbaijan (1991–present)

Prime Ministers

№	Chairman		Term of office			Political party	Government	Elected	Ref
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days
1		Hasan Hasanov Həsən Həsənov (1940–)	7 February 1991	4 April 1992		Independent	1. Mütəllibov I	—
			Made a deal with the Popular Front of Azerbaijan inviting them to form a coalition within the newly established government.
—		Firuz Mustafayev (acting) Firuz Mustafayev	4 April 1992	14 May 1992		Independent	—	—
2		Rahim Huseynov Rəhim Hüseynov (1936–)	14 May 1992	30 January 1993		Independent	1. Mütəllibov I	—
			During his term in office, Gross national product fell by 20%.
—		Ali Masimov (acting) Əli Məsimov (1953–)	5 February 1993	28 April 1993		Azerbaijani Popular Front Party	1. Elçibəy I	—
			Authored the Azerbaijan Economic Progress Program and Main policies of Cabinet of Ministers program; Laid the foundation of Azerbaijan's Economic Independence Concepts and Agricultural Reforms Program; Established the Assistance Fund for Refugees and IDPs.
3		Panah Huseynov Pənah Hüseynov (1957–)	28 April 1993	30 June 1993		Azerbaijani Popular Front Party	3. Elçibəy I	—
4		Surat Huseynov Surət Hüseynov (1959–)	30 June 1993	7 October 1994		Military	4. H.Əliyev II	—
			Attempted a coup d'état, supported by the military, against Heydar Aliyev, which was immediately suppressed.
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"| 5		Fuad Guliyev Fuad Quliyev (1941–)	7 October 1994	20 July 1996		style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"|New Azerbaijan Party	5. H.Əliyev II	—
Declared Sumgait a free economic zone and signed a contract with foreign oil companies for exploration, development and production at Karabakh oil field.
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"| 6		Artur Rasizade Artur Rasi-zadə (1935–)	20 July 1996	4 August 2003		style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"|New Azerbaijan Party	6. H.Əliyev II	—
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"| 7		Ilham Aliyev İlham Əliyev (1961–)	4 August 2003	4 November 2003		style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"|New Azerbaijan Party	7. H.Əliyev II	—
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"| 8		Artur Rasizade Artur Rasi-zadə (1935–)	4 November 2003	Incumbent		style="background:Template:New Azerbaijan Party/meta/color;"|New Azerbaijan Party	8. İ.Əliyev I	—

See also

• Prime Minister of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic
• President of Azerbaijan
• List of heads of government of Azerbaijan
• Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan