Azerbaijan vote lengthens Aliyev's time in office, boosts his powers

By Nailia Bagirova BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan has voted in favour of extending the presidential term from five to seven years, election authorities said on Tuesday, a step that critics say will hand unprecedented powers to President Ilham Aliyev who has led the country since 2003. The state election commission said a vast majority of the 91.2 percent of voters who turned out in a referendum in the Caspian Sea oil-producer had backed the move. Aliyev, 54, who succeeded his father as president, c