Davud Turan - 19 February 2012
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| A photo of Pishavari and some of the leaders of the government. |
On December 12, 1945, the Azerbaijan National Government was formed under the leadership of S.J. Pishavari. It is possible to say that the National Government was organized and operated based on a modern state structure. Taking Azerbaijani identity as its foundation, the National Government established itself with regular and legal relationships between institutions such as the government, parliament, political parties, and the army—recognized as the modern state apparatus.
The success of the National Government can be attributed to the establishment of a well-structured bureaucracy and political system. This organization fostered efficiency and increased the working capacity of the National Government. The National Government had its own work allocation mechanism, and the institutions within it operated in an organic and regulated manner.
The aim of this study is to analyze the systematic relationships between the institutions within the National Government and to highlight the political structure of the Azerbaijan National Government. This paper examines the formation of the state, its political staff, the structure of the National Assembly, the structure of the Council of Ministers, and the relationship between the parliament, government, and people’s armies.
Formation of the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan
After the Second World War, democratic movements swept across Iran, giving rise to various political parties. The Tudeh Party played an important role in South Azerbaijan, rapidly establishing cells throughout the region. The leaders of the Tudeh Party in Azerbaijan (Padigan, Biriya, Danişiyan, Shebisteri, and Vela) were often nationalists, which led them to leave the Tudeh Party and join the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan, a nationalist party.
On September 3, 1945, S.J. Pishavari, S. Javid, and J.Kavyan founded the Democratic Party of Azerbaijan. Ali Shebisteri, a nationalist who had been excluded from the Tudeh Party, joined on September 5 along with the newspapers Azerbaijan Society and Azerbaijan, both of which he edited. On September 7, the district organization of the Tudeh Party in Azerbaijan joined the Democratic Party without notifying the central office in Tehran.
Democratic Party's Political Structure
The Democratic Party held its first congress on October 1, 1945, where it outlined its objectives. On November 21, the Azerbaijani National Congress was held, with 744 delegates in attendance.
Formation and Structure of the National Assembly
A committee of 39 individuals was formed to oversee elections to the National Assembly. This committee was responsible for organizing elections in Azerbaijan and establishing supervising committees, which included representatives from all sectors of society. After the establishment of these commissions, elections were held across South Azerbaijan, with 101 deputies elected to the National Assembly by December 27, 1945.
The Azerbaijani National Assembly was notably different from the Iranian Assembly, with a more diverse representation. It included intellectuals (16), peasants (12), officials (10), teachers (8), merchants (10), mullahs (2), workers (15), owners (12), manufacturers (2), and artists (14).
The first session of the Azerbaijan National Assembly was opened on December 12, 1945, by the oldest deputy, Nizamuddevle Rafi. The Assembly elected Ali Shebisteri as president, S. Padigan Rafii as deputy chairman, and H. Jevdet as secretary. Other members of the presidential board included A. Dibaiyan, Dilmegani, and M.A. Teymuri.
The internal structure of the National Assembly was organized according to its charter, with committees focused on "national armies," "finance," and "justice." The Assembly also had the authority to assign the president of the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor-General. Z. Giyami and Feridun Ibrahimi were appointed to these positions, respectively.
Formation of the National Government
After completing its internal organization, the National Assembly tasked S. Jafar Pishavari with forming the national government. Pishavari selected his ministers and submitted them for a vote of confidence by the National Assembly. Once the Assembly approved the government, the National Government began its operations. The Cabinet was not composed solely of members of the Democratic Party. Experts were appointed to key positions in the Ministries of Health, Justice, and Trade, where high qualifications were required.
Key appointments included Salemullah Javit (Minister of Home Affairs), Yusuf Azima (Minister of Justice), Ilhami (Minister of Health), Muhammad Biriya (Minister of Finance), D. Orengi (Minister of Culture), and Mehtash (Minister of Agriculture). Under the leadership of Pishavari, the Azerbaijan National Government became the highest executive authority in the region.