Reports of State Coup Preparations with Russian Support Circulate in Azerbaijan

Former high-ranking Azerbaijani official Ramiz Mehdiyev, who had previously been branded a traitor by the official Baku, has published a letter stating that the country is experiencing a "deep crisis" and that "radical reforms" are necessary.

Mehdiyev asserted that the current governance system in Azerbaijan is "ineffective" and proposed to change it through a referendum to create a new power structure. According to his proposal, a 50-member State Council should be formed to oversee the functions of legislative, executive, and judicial bodies, as well as to carry out the duties of the Constitutional Court and the Security Council.

He stated that the Council should also have veto power over government and parliamentary decisions. The letter indicates that such changes could transform the country's governance model from a presidential to a parliamentary system.