Every Azerbaijani probably knows December 7, 1918. This is the date of formation of the supreme legislative body of the People’s Republic of Azerbaijan (PRA), the first democratic republic in the Muslim East.

Established in pretty complicated domestic and international circumstances, PRA was de facto recognized by influential states of the world. And the parliament of PRA was the first parliament in the East.

Despite very difficult conditions, PRA took the path of democratic development. In the meeting on November 19 all nations living within Azerbaijan were entitled to be represented in the parliament.

Azerbaijan National Council should be comprised of 120 seats, 1 per every 24 thousand persons. Out of them, 80 should represent Muslims, 21 Armenians, 10 Russians, 1 Germans and 1 Jews. Georgians and Poles were represented by 1 seat each, as they were not many.  

Confirming PRA as a democratic state, this fact was one of the biggest mistakes at the same time. Representation of nations from the occupant countries, which had an eye on Azerbaijan’s geostrategic position, tangible and intangible riches, in the parliament provided them a huge chance to cause intrigues inside the parliament. Not standing Azerbaijan’s independence, Armenians denied participating in the parliament first, and after joining the parliament they took a treacherous position against Azerbaijani statehood.

Besides, a nationwide interest is not considered in the parliament consisted of 11 fractions and groups. Disagreements in the parliament were a serious obstacle to the formation of an independent state under very difficult internal and international conditions. It all provoked an anti-Azerbaijan policy pursued against Azerbaijan by those fractions and groups inside the parliament, action to unite Azerbaijan into the Soviet Russia and support to Red Army’s interference in the country. 

However, despite all these mistakes the parliament of PRA, which left deep vestiges in the history of Azerbaijani statehood and parliament culture, once more proved the experience in the sphere of the formation of independent state with high-level legislative acts and decisions it adopted. 

PRA, which franchised women to vote for the first time in the East, provided equal rights to all citizens of the country irrespective of nationality, religion, social status and gender, accepted national symbols – flag, anthem and emblem, took important steps in the field of government, military service, economy, culture, education and public health, laid the cornerstone for acquiring experience in the sphere of the establishment of independent state of Azerbaijan.
 
Independence released of the fetters of the Soviet power and restored by national leader Heydar Aliyev and the Republic of Azerbaijan, as the successor of PRA, are trying today to eliminate the mistakes of that time and further strengthen our state.