She is called the most influential woman Transcaucasia, and this position only formalizes her position in the country's leadership system. Why did Baku decide to take this step right now? Probably, the Azerbaijani government is preparing for some important changes in the external and domestic policy. understood the reasons for the new appointment of the wife of the president of the republic.

Rector family

The appointment of Mehriban Aliyeva to the post of first vice president caused a flurry of ironic comments online in the spirit of “the master appointed me as his beloved wife.” This step by Ilham Aliyev began to be interpreted as a manifestation of traditional nepotism: they say, it is a common thing in a country where the current head of state “inherited” the post of his father. However, the new position of the wife of the President of Azerbaijan de jure secured her actual status in the system of the republic’s elite: Mehriban Aliyeva already belongs by birth to an influential family - the Pashayev clan.

The grandfather of the president's wife, a classic of Azerbaijani literature, professor of philology and order bearer Mir Jalal, was born at the beginning of the 20th century in Iran. Mehriban's father is Arif Pashayev, rector of the National Aviation Academy, in Soviet Azerbaijan for a long time headed the laboratory of the Republican Institute of Physics. The first lady's uncle, Hafiz Pashayev, is the country's deputy foreign minister and rector of the Diplomatic Academy. In accordance with the traditions of the family, he belonged to the intellectual elite of the USSR: he graduated from the physics department in Baku, graduated from graduate school, interned at the University of California, and was ambassador to Washington from 1993 to 2006. Nargiz Pashayeva - sister of Mehriban - philologist, heads the Baku branch, member of the Union of Writers of the Republic, co-chairman of the Anglo-Azerbaijani Charitable Society, head of the Nizami Scientific Center at Oxford University, founder of a private theater.

The Pashayev family is distinguished by its success primarily in the academic field, but also controls key areas of business in the republic. According to WikiLeaks, the Pashayevs manage the Pasha Holding, which includes the bank of the same name, construction firm And Insurance Company. According to American diplomats, the clan owns a television channel and a cosmetics company; The family's business interests also include mobile operator Nar Mobile (in the republic they believe that the company received its name in honor of Nargiz Pashayeva).

How Aliyev came to power

To understand what the alliance of the Aliyev and Pashayev clans gave Azerbaijan, we will have to look at the main milestones modern history republics. It must be said that the father of the current president of the republic, Ilham Aliyev, Heydar Aliyev, sat in the leadership chair thanks to his undoubted political talent, and not because of his belonging to a particular clan. And by that time the Pashayevs had already established themselves among the Baku intelligentsia.

Traditionally, strong positions in the political and cultural life of Azerbaijan are occupied by people from the Absheron Peninsula (where Baku is located). The oldest nationalist party "Musavat" (now oppositional), the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Republic and the senior staff of the local Cheka-NKVD-KGB, the writers' union were largely staffed by natives of the cities of Baku and Cuba. Members of this compatriotic clan, although they spoke and still speak the Azerbaijani language, remember their Iranian ancestors well. The Pashayev family also occupied a high position among the Baku intelligentsia: a street in the capital of Azerbaijan was named after the already mentioned Mir Jalal Pashayev.

However, in the late 1960s and early 1970s political life the republic has undergone changes. In 1969, the plenum Central Committee Communist Party Azerbaijan SSR approved Heydar Aliyev, a native of Nakhichevan, as first secretary. In Soviet and then independent Azerbaijan, the era of the Nakhichevan clan began. In 1988, twice Hero of Socialist Labor, First Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, Heydar Aliyev became... a pensioner of union importance. The Republic enters the crisis of the 90s, the war begins in Nagorno-Karabakh and civil strife within Azerbaijan. Representatives come to power Popular Front Azerbaijan (PFA), which began as a project of the Baku intelligentsia. However, there were also people from Nakhichevan in the Popular Front. After Ayaz Mutalibov, who, as his political opponents claim, had poor command of the Azerbaijani language, Nakhichevan Abulfaz Elchibey, an exemplary nationalist, takes the post of head of state.

In 1993, Heydar Aliyev again became the head of the republic and ended the unsuccessful war for Azerbaijan in Karabakh. Next year, the “Contract of the Century” is signed in Baku - an agreement between Azerbaijan and global oil companies on the development of the Azeri, Chirag, and Gunashli fields. The republic’s prosperity begins to increase through the sale of hydrocarbons; the production and sale of oil is controlled by those close to the president of the country.

According to Artur Atayev, a political scientist, orientalist, and specialist on the Caucasus in the Double-Headed Eagle society, Heydar Aliyev, as an experienced politician, formed his team and entourage taking into account his goals and the connections already established in the republic. The leader of Azerbaijan did not forget his fellow countrymen, but also entered into alliances with those who had a certain influence. “Therefore, I would not talk about a separate Nakhichevan clan. Heydar Aliyev was rather a representative of the Soviet party-economic nomenklatura, its very successful representative. And the Pashayevs traditionally occupied their niche, which they would have occupied under any other ruler; this is their place by right,” the expert emphasizes.

First Lady - second person

The connections of the Pashayev family allow them to engage in lobbying activities abroad. Mehriban Aliyeva, world leaders provide Special attention not only as the first lady of the country, but also as an independent political player. Naturally, this gave rise to speculation about hidden rivalry between two influential families: does the wife of the head of state want to take this post herself? In 2013, the World of Democratic Azerbaijan party proposed nominating Mehriban Aliyeva as a presidential candidate. This issue was quickly hushed up, there was a showdown within the party with accusations and organizational conclusions, but the trial balloon was launched - the idea began to be discussed. The oppositionists explained that in this way the authorities were testing the waters: are the elites and citizens of the republic ready for a female head of state.

New post Aliyeva was also regarded as a consequence of the alleged weakening of Ramiz Mehdiyev’s apparatus positions. Eminence grise Azerbaijani politics, permanent head of the administration of Presidents Heydar and Ilham Aliyev since the 90s (once former second Secretary of the Nakhichevan Regional Committee of the Komsomol) for a long time bore the unofficial title of the second person in the state. Be that as it may, the public received an unambiguous signal: Mehriban Aliyeva’s unofficial high status received official confirmation. Why was this done?

The most influential woman in Transcaucasia

Artur Ataev evaluates new status first lady as consolidating the current political status of Ilham Aliyev. " Existing system was built by Heydar Aliyev. And despite the fact that numerous attempts have been made to change it or influence it - both from the outside and from the inside - it has remained unchanged. And the attempts were quite serious: there are many influential people from the republic outside Azerbaijan, who have their own views on the future of the country. It can be summarized that Ilham Aliyev successfully claims to be the leader of the nation, his influence is not limited to the borders of Azerbaijan, and Mehriban has always been an active promoter of this policy. The marriage of Ilham and Mehriban was not just a unification of two families, a union of cosmopolitan intellectuals and professional politicians, it gave Azerbaijan a qualitatively different elite, which has strong positions both inside and outside the country,” the political scientist is sure.

According to Artur Atayev, Mehriban Aliyeva can now be considered the most influential woman in Transcaucasia. “Georgia is completely dependent on Azerbaijan and Turkey, on the policies of these countries. Yerevan, which opposes Baku, is also forced to take into account changes in Azerbaijan’s course,” explains the expert.

Obviously, the new appointment of the first lady indicates that Baku is preparing for changes in the internal and foreign policy. It may well be that this is a signal to all players in the region. As American diplomats dryly noted in the dispatch published, “it’s worth talking to the Pashayevs.” Did the most experienced Heydar Aliyev, when blessing his son to marry Mehriban Pashayeva in 1983, foresee that his daughter-in-law would become the second person in the state? Considering that the former deputy chairman of the USSR Council of Ministers knew how to calculate political moves decades in advance, it is quite possible.

The First Lady of Azerbaijan, 52-year-old Mehriban Aliyeva, is recognized as the most influential woman in her country not only due to her external attractiveness. On February 21, 2017, by order of the head of state, she was appointed first vice-president of Azerbaijan.

The decree of the country's President Ilham Aliyev notes that the new appointment was made on the basis of the current Constitution of Azerbaijan. Now the spectacular first lady will have to take over the powers of the head of state if he is unable to fulfill his duties.

The Azerbaijani leader explained the appointment of his wife as vice president by her successes and effective multilateral activities. According to Aliyev, his wife plays an important role in the socio-political, cultural, and international life of the state.

“She (Mehriban Aliyeva. – Editor’s note) generally carries out multifaceted and successful activities. It was these factors that guided me when deciding to appoint her to the post of first vice-president of Azerbaijan,” the head of state said.

Let us recall that the post of vice president was introduced following the results of a referendum on changes to the Constitution of Azerbaijan, held in September 2016. As reported on the official website of the head of state, Aliyev personally introduced the new deputy to his subordinates at a meeting of the country's Security Council.

“She (Mehriban Aliyeva. – Ed.) also headed the organizing committees of such major international events as Eurovision in 2012, the First European Games in 2015. All these events were perfectly organized. Aliyeva heads the organizing committee of the IV Islamic Games, and I have no doubt that these games will be organized at top level", the President recalled.

Mehriban Aliyeva is also the deputy head of the ruling pro-presidential party" New Azerbaijan"Recall that this party allows the head of state to carry out his decisions through parliament.

It is noteworthy that Mehriban Pashayeva was born on August 26, 1964 in the city of Baku into one of the most respected families in Azerbaijan. Her grandfather is a writer and literary critic, professor Mir Jalal Pashayev, her second grandfather is a famous journalist and teacher Nasir Imanguliyev.

Mehriban's father, Arif Pashayev, is a Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, rector of the National Aviation Academy of the State Concern "Azerbaijan Hava Yollary". Mother, Aida Imanguliyeva, is a Doctor of Philology, professor of Oriental studies, literary critic, critic and translator, and worked as director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences.

In 1982, after graduating from high school, Mehriban entered the medical and preventive faculty of the Azerbaijan State Medical Institute named after N. Narimanov, which she graduated in 1988 with honors. On December 22, 1983, while a student, Mehriban married the future president of the country, Ilham Aliyev.

While still studying at the university, Aliyeva gave birth to her husband’s daughters Leila and Arzu. Ten years later, the couple had a successor to the family name, a son, Heydar.

The wife of the Azerbaijani leader is always in the center of public attention. This is not surprising, because Mehriban Aliyeva invariably appears among the most beautiful first ladies in the world.

In 2005, according to the results of a sociological survey conducted in the country, Mehriban Aliyeva was awarded the title “Woman of the Year”. However, she became the most influential woman in Azerbaijan not only thanks to her dazzling appearance.

The First Lady of Azerbaijan has an amazing ability to manage everywhere at the same time. She is a mother of three, prominent public figure, and now also the second most important person in state structure countries.

Meanwhile, numerous posts appeared on Twitter regarding the order. Ilham Aliyev to appoint his wife Mehriban to the post of first vice-president of the republic. At the same time, Internet users assessed the decision of the President of Azerbaijan ambiguously.

“Everyone is so surprised that the president’s wife became the vice-president of Azerbaijan, as if the president’s son had not become the president of Azerbaijan earlier,” one user commented on Aliyev’s decision.

The news from Azerbaijan made many microbloggers laugh. “This is what I understand: “he transferred the property to the spouse,” wrote user Dimsmirnov175.

She inspires admiration wherever she goes.

This week, Aliyeva became one of the most talked-about women in the post-Soviet space after her husband appointed her first vice president of Azerbaijan. Against the backdrop of this excitement, Sputnik Georgia invites readers to get to know this lady better.

Who is she

The future first lady of Azerbaijan Mehriban Pashayeva was born on August 26, 1964 in Baku into a family of intellectuals. Her father Arif Pashayev is the rector of the Baku National Aviation Academy, and her mother Aida Imankuliyeva was a famous philologist and Arabist.

Since childhood, Aliyeva was distinguished by her thirst for learning; in 1982 she graduated from Baku high school No. 23 with a gold medal. She studied at a medical university in Azerbaijan and continued her studies at the Moscow State Medical Institute named after I.M. Sechenov, from which she graduated with honors in 1988.

© AP Photo / Lefteris Pitarakis

In 2005 received academic degree candidate of philosophical sciences, having defended his dissertation on the topic “Euthanasia and the problem of humanity in medicine.”

The girl started a family while still a student, in 1983. Her chosen one was Ilham Aliyev, the son and successor of the successful politician Heydar Aliyev. The couple has three children and four grandchildren.

Career

Aliyeva’s first job was related to her profession; for four years she was an employee of the Moscow Research Institute of Eye Diseases, after which she decided to engage in social activities.

In 1995, Mehriban founded and headed charitable foundation"Friends of Azerbaijani culture." A year later, she founded and became the editor of the cultural and historical magazine "Heritage of Azerbaijan", which was published in Azerbaijani, Russian and English.

In 2002, Mehriban Aliyeva was elected president of the Azerbaijan Gymnastics Federation, and later became president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation.

In 2005, she took up parliamentary activities, becoming a deputy of the Milli Majlis from the New Azerbaijan party.

The peak of her career came in February of this year, when President Ilham Aliyev appointed his wife first vice president of Azerbaijan.

Style icon

Stylists and designers tirelessly talk about Mehriban’s impeccable style; her photographs adorn the pages of world fashion publications. It seems that her beauty transcends even time - 51-year-old Mehriban is often confused with her daughters.

The Spletnik portal blogger believes that for most women, Mehriban is an object for detailed style study and a role model.

"Many people say that her appearance is the merit of more than a dozen surgeons of the most expensive Western clinics... And people also say that she loves a lot of things at once - this refers more to makeup than to clothes. Where, where, but in When choosing clothes, the first lady of Azerbaijan practically makes no mistakes,” writes the blogger.

Awards and recognition

This first lady boasts not only her knowledge of etiquette and exquisite taste, but also impressive achievements at the international level.

In 2004, Mehriban was awarded the honorary title of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

She is the winner of numerous awards, including the international Caspian Energy Integration Award, "Stars of the Commonwealth", and "Golden Heart". Has the title of honorary professor Medical University named after I.M. Sechenev.

Among Aliyeva's awards are the Order of Heydar Aliyev, the Grand Commander's Cross of the Order of Merit of Poland, and the officer's degree of the Order of the Legion of Honor of France.

According to the results of a sociological survey conducted in Azerbaijan in 2005, Aliyeva was awarded the title “Woman of the Year”.

Mehriban in Georgia

In the summer of 2010, Mehriban Aliyeva, together with her husband Ilham Aliyev, visited the Black Sea city of Batumi (Adjarian Autonomous Republic). At that time, Georgia was led by President Mikheil Saakashvili.

While the leaders of the two countries were busy with matters of national importance, Mehriban, together with the First Lady of Georgia Sandra Roelofs, got acquainted with the sights of the resort city and its surroundings.

© AP Photo/Irakly Gedenidze

Thus, Mehriban visited the Nobel Brothers Technical Museum in Batumi and the Gonio Apsar Fortress Museum (near Batumi). A tour of the center of Batumi was also organized for the foreign guest.

“Ms. Mehriban is in Batumi for the first time, she really likes this city. She said that Batumi reminds her of Italy, and some areas, renovated streets resemble Baku,” Roelofs told reporters then.

Ilham Heydarovich Aliyev is the 4th president of Azerbaijan, who in 2003 replaced his father, one of the political giants of the USSR era, Heydar Aliyev, in this high post.

The flexible and intelligent politician managed to ensure the country’s stable entry into the top three world leaders in terms of GDP growth, its election to the UN Security Council with the support of 155 states, and also refuted the idea that the position was “inherited”, allegedly not having real political talent.

Childhood and adolescence

The future head of state was born on December 24, 1961 in Baku. His father, Heydar Alievich, at that time the head of the republican counterintelligence of the KGB, and his mother, Zarifa Aziz kyzy, an ophthalmologist, were then 38 years old. He became the second, relatively late child in a family where the 6-year-old daughter Seville was already growing up.


He studied at school No. 6, showing little zeal in studying the exact sciences and giving preference to the humanities. According to the recollections of teachers, despite the high position of his father, the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Republic, he was no different from his peers. He often fought, but never complained about his offenders at home.


IN early childhood the boy dreamed of becoming a general, as a teenager he was fond of sports - he played volleyball, football, swam, and also loved to dress well and tell jokes, especially about Brezhnev. In 1974 he became the winner international tournament in swimming, held in the GDR.

After graduating from school in 1977, the young man did not hide behind his father’s authority and pursue a career in the KGB or along the party line, but managed to enter the most famous and prestigious institute in the country - MGIMO. And he not only successfully graduated from it in 1982, but remained in graduate school and then taught there for several years.

Career Development

With the change in the political situation in the USSR, his father was forced to resign in 1987. My son had to leave teaching at his alma mater. He went into commerce and in 1991 became director of the Orient company. A year later, he moved to Istanbul, since his main business was connected with this city and state.


In general, little is known about the life of the future president in the first half of the 90s. In 1993, Heydar Alievich came to power again, and his heir returned from abroad.

Since 1995, at the suggestion of the “yellow press,” the young businessman gained a reputation as a gambler who allegedly lost huge sums of money in casinos. There was a scandal with Turkish businessman Omar Topala: supposedly Aliyev Jr. lost so much in his casino that his father had to give the building of the Baku Hotel Europe to the Turk.


From 1994 to 2003, Ilham Aliyev was the deputy head of the State oil company"SOCAR" was engaged in the implementation of advanced projects in the field of development of deposits of this natural resource. The most ambitious of them was the agreement with Western partners, which later received the name “Contract of the Century”. Its signing ensured a significant influx of investment into the oil industry of the republic and played an invaluable role in improving the country's economy as a whole.


In 1995 and 2000, he was elected to parliament - the Milli Majlis, where he initiated the development of traditional sports for the country and the construction of sports facilities. In 1997, he headed the National Olympic Committee, and his work in this direction was awarded the IOC Order.

In 1999, he was elected deputy leader of the pro-presidential political force “New Azerbaijan”. In 2001-2003, he led the parliamentary delegation to one of the main bodies of the Council of Europe - PACE. Subsequently, Aliyev was elected deputy chairman of PACE.


In 2003, he became prime minister and, along with his father, nominated himself for the presidency, having previously gone on vacation with new position. Then Heydar Alievich, who was undergoing treatment at that time, refused to participate in the elections in favor of his son.

Presidency of Ilham Aliyev

In the elections held in the fall of 2003 and accompanied by protests that resulted in loss of life, the politician won. In 2 years, he managed to organize the replacement of the old “ruling clan” and achieve political stability.


In 2005, information appeared about an attempt to change power in the country by force. The coup was prevented, twelve high-ranking officials, politicians, including the leader of the Democratic Party Rasul Guliyev, the head of the Ministry of Economy Farhad Aliyev and his brother Rafik, the head of the large enterprise Azpetrol, were arrested.

In 2008, the successor to his father's political line again won the elections. According to international statistics per capita income then in Azerbaijan reached more than 3.8 thousand dollars.

Interview with Ilham Aliyev

In 2009, a referendum was organized, as a result of which an amendment was made to the legislation of the republic - from now on one person could occupy the presidency for more than 2 terms. The opposition called this event the transformation of a republic into a monarchy.

According to official data for 2010, more than 800 thousand new jobs appeared in Azerbaijan, and the poverty level of the population decreased by 34 percent. However, this happened mainly due to social benefits. Economic growth occurred due to increased sales of energy resources.

In the 2013 elections, the current head of the republic again received the support of the majority of voters and was re-elected for a third term.


On the world stage, the country's leader demonstrated a thoughtful and calibrated policy. In 2005, he signed a non-aggression agreement with Iran. In 2010 - about state border with the Russian Federation (with agreements beneficial for Baku). In 2016, an attempt was made to change the situation regarding Karabakh.

Personal life of Ilham Aliyev

In 1983, the politician’s wife was Mehriban Pashayeva, a representative of one of the most influential families in Azerbaijan, the granddaughter of the scientist and writer Mir Jalal Pashayev, the daughter of the head of the National Aviation Academy, Arifa Muallim, and the head of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Aida Imanguliyeva.


The young people met in student years in Moscow, where she studied at the Medical Institute. I. Sechenov. In 1985, their daughter Leila was born, in 1989 - youngest daughter Arzu, in 1997 - son Heydar, named, of course, in honor of his grandfather.


From 2006 to 2015 eldest daughter was married to an entrepreneur and singer Ilham Aliyev's son is predicted to have a presidential future

In addition to his native language, Ilham Heydarovich speaks English, Russian, French and Turkish.

Ilham Aliyev now

In 2017, Ilham Aliyev appointed his wife Mehriban as First Vice-President of the country, calling her “a professional and a humanist” at a presentation at the Security Council. According to Baku, ordinary people respect and love her very much.

On the eve of the summit Eastern Partnership The EU, which was scheduled for November 24, Azerbaijan did not sign its final declaration due to disagreement with the wording regarding the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. At a ceremonial meeting dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the New Azerbaijan Party, Aliyev said that the country would restore its territorial integrity at any cost.

Ilham Aliyev about Karabakh

The next presidential elections in Azerbaijan will take place in 2018. According to the results of the referendum held in 2016, the term of the next president will no longer be 5, but 7 years. The country also lowered the age limit for presidential candidates from 35 to 18 years. According to opposition representatives, in this way Aliyev’s 28-year-old son will be able to take the presidency in 2025, after the expiration of Ilham Aliyev’s fourth term.