The State Apparatus of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic

The foundational principles of state governance system of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic were enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. This constitutional act of the National Council like document specified that the state would be governed The National Council elected by the people of Azerbaijan and a responsible succeeding Provinsional Government as a People's Republic, until the establishment of the Constituent Assembly. The democratic nature of the state's political system was underpinned by the proclaimed principles of political freedoms and guarantees for national and religious rights. The Republic's governance system lacked a singular supreme leader. Instead, governance was jointly exercised by the Parliament and the Government, which was accountable to it. The Parliament, as the supreme authority, engaged in legislative activities, while the Government implemented laws passed by Parliament and reported its activities to it. The Government was required to resign if its performance was deemed unsatisfactory or it lost the confidence of a parliamentary majority. In any democratic state based on the rule of law, the independent functioning of the judiciary is as essential as the legislative and executive branches. Otherwise, the legal foundations of the state mechanism weaken, undermining the democratic essence of governance. Demonstrating its commitment to establishing a legal and democratic state, the first cabinet of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic included the Ministry of Justice, headed by legal expert Khalil Bey Khasmammadov. The significant position of the judiciary within the state apparatus was further underscored when Prime Minister F. Khoyski concurrently assumed the role of Minister of Justice in the second cabinet. The laws adopted during the Republic’s era aimed to construct a fair society that respected the rights and freedoms of all citizens.