Parliamentary elections scheduled for November 5 were to have been a test of Azerbaijan's commitment to the rule of law and to its obligations as a country seeking accession to join the Council of Europe. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) voted on June 28 to recommend to the Committee of Ministers that Azerbaijan be admitted to the Council of Europe and asked Azerbaijan "to ensure that its planned elections be free and impartial." The Council of Ministers is unlikely to vote on Azerbaijan's accession until after the parliamentary vote.