Authoritarian Resilience through Informality: : A Case Study of Azerbaijan through Center-Regional Relations and Patronal Networks

The world is becoming increasingly authoritarian according to institutions such as V-Dem. This coincides with a recent increase in studies regarding resilience and what makes countries resilient in times of crisis. Previous research has suggested that to achieve state resilience, democratic institutions are necessary. However, the increase in both authoritarianism and crisis in the world should therefore not be possible, research therefore needs to be conducted regarding what the sources of authoritarian resilience are. This study analyzes Azerbaijan by applying a framework established by Irina Busygina (2024) that concerns the sources of authoritarian resilience. Two main factors from Busygina’s framework are applied: center-regional relations and patronal networks. The research questions are answered by using a secondary analysis. The study finds evidence of both center-regional relations and patronal networks having a strong presence within Azerbaijani politics. The study also makes an argument that these mechanisms is what to a certain extent allows Azerbaijani elite to efficiently downplay the impact of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh on Azerbaijani domestic affairs.