Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev (born 24 December 1961) is an Azerbaijani politician who has served as the fourth President of the Republic of Azerbaijan since 31 October 2003. He succeeded his father, Heydar Aliyev, who led Azerbaijan from 1993 until 2003, making the Aliyevs one of the few political dynasties in the post-Soviet space. In 2017 he appointed his wife, Mehriban Aliyeva, as First Vice-President of Azerbaijan.
Family and early career
Aliyev was born in Baku to Heydar Aliyev, at the time a senior KGB officer in Soviet Azerbaijan who later rose to become the republic’s Communist Party First Secretary and eventually independent Azerbaijan’s president. Ilham studied at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), earning a PhD in history in 1985. He worked in academic and business roles, including as Vice President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) from 1994.
Rise to the presidency
Aliyev became a member of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) politburo in 1999 and was elected to parliament in 2000. In the lead-up to the 2003 presidential election his ailing father endorsed him as successor, an unprecedented move in a republic. He won the October 2003 election with 77% of the vote amid widespread allegations of fraud and protester clashes in Baku. He was re-elected in 2008, 2013, 2018 and 2024 — none of which OSCE/ODIHR observers considered genuinely competitive.
Nagorno-Karabakh and foreign policy
Aliyev’s most consequential legacy is Azerbaijan’s recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh. In the 44-day Second Karabakh War of September–November 2020, Azerbaijani forces retook most of the territories lost in the 1990s First Karabakh War. A one-day offensive in September 2023 seized the remaining Armenian-administered areas, ending the Republic of Artsakh and prompting the flight of more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians. Azerbaijan has deepened strategic ties with Turkey and Israel and is a key westbound gas supplier to the EU, especially since 2022.
Authoritarianism and term limits
Under Aliyev, Azerbaijan has been consistently rated among the world’s most authoritarian regimes. Freedom House classifies the country as “Not Free”, and Reporters Without Borders ranks it near the bottom of the World Press Freedom Index. A 2016 constitutional referendum extended presidential terms from five to seven years; a 2009 referendum had earlier removed term limits. Leading opposition politicians and journalists have been repeatedly imprisoned; critics describe the political system as a “hereditary sultanistic” regime.
At a glance
| Full name | Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 December 1961, Baku, Azerbaijan SSR |
| Office | President of the Republic of Azerbaijan |
| In office since | 31 October 2003 |
| Most recent election | 7 February 2024 — 92.1% (snap election) |
| Party | New Azerbaijan Party (YAP) |
| Vice President | Mehriban Aliyeva (his wife, since 2017) |
| Predecessor | Heydar Aliyev (his father) |
| Human rights | Freedom House: Not Free |
Frequently asked questions
Click a question to expand the answer.
Who is the president of Azerbaijan in 2026?
Ilham Aliyev has been President of Azerbaijan since 31 October 2003. He was re-elected for a fifth term in a snap election on 7 February 2024 with an officially reported 92.1% of the vote.
How old is Ilham Aliyev?
Aliyev was born on 24 December 1961, which makes him 64 in April 2026.
Is Azerbaijan a dictatorship?
Most democracy indices classify Azerbaijan as an authoritarian regime. Freedom House rates the country “Not Free” and The Economist Democracy Index ranks it among the most authoritarian states worldwide.
Is Ilham Aliyev related to Heydar Aliyev?
Yes. Ilham Aliyev is the son of Heydar Aliyev, who was President of Azerbaijan from 1993 to 2003. The Aliyevs are one of the few family dynasties in the post-Soviet space. Ilham’s wife Mehriban Aliyeva has served as First Vice President since 2017.
What happened in Nagorno-Karabakh?
Azerbaijan recaptured most of Nagorno-Karabakh in the 44-day Second Karabakh War of September–November 2020. A brief Azerbaijani offensive in September 2023 seized the remaining Armenian-controlled areas, ending the self-declared Republic of Artsakh and causing more than 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee.
When does Aliyev’s term end?
His current seven-year term, won in February 2024, runs until 2031. A 2016 constitutional referendum extended presidential terms from five to seven years; a 2009 referendum earlier removed term limits.
Does Azerbaijan have oil?
Yes. Azerbaijan is a significant oil and gas producer in the Caspian Basin and has become a key non-Russian gas supplier to the European Union since 2022. State-owned SOCAR is the dominant energy company; Ilham Aliyev served as its Vice President in the 1990s.