Ilham Aliyev

Who is Ilham Aliyev?

Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan, since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee. Apart from his native Azerbaijani, he speaks English and Russian. Ilham Aliyev is the son of Heydar Aliyev, who was Azerbaijan's president from 1993-2003.

Ilham Aliyev's image remains largely controversial. He has been criticized for his authoritarian rule and often described as a dictator by analysts and political commentators. At the same time, within internal politics, he has never had serious rivals capable of challenging his iron grip on Azerbaijani politics. It is widely expected that Aliyev will win the 2013 presidential elections.