The age issue in parliaments has been a topic of attention from time to time.
In the legislative bodies of Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, and other countries, there are deputies who are past retirement age, exceeding 70, and even 80.
Modern.az website has investigated who the oldest deputies are in the parliaments of 12 countries, including the near region and neighboring countries. Interestingly, the top ranks of the list include not only professional politicians but also academics, doctors, lawyers, and scientists.
Russia – Vladimir Resin, 90 years old
The oldest member on the list is in Russia. Vladimir Resin was born on February 21, 1936, and is currently 90 years old.
V. Resin is a member of the ruling “United Russia” party and has been a deputy of the State Duma for many years. He previously headed Moscow's construction complex and then served as the first deputy mayor of the capital.
In the recently concluded 2026 parliamentary elections in Russia, Vladimir Resin was again included in the “United Russia” list for Moscow and was one of the candidates who won a mandate for the IX convocation of the State Duma after the election.
An interesting fact about Vladimir Resin: in 2021, as the oldest deputy, he was supposed to open the first session of the VIII convocation of the State Duma. However, V. Resin at that time gave this right to Valentina Tereshkova, who was one year younger than him.
By the way, Valentina Tereshkova, the first female cosmonaut of the former USSR, became a deputy again at the age of 89. She won a seat in the IX convocation of the State Duma as a member of the ruling "United Russia" party. Tereshkova led the party's list in the elections.
Azerbaijan – Ziyad Samadzade, 86 years old
The oldest deputy of the Azerbaijani National Assembly is academician Ziyad Samadzade.
He was born on June 25, 1940, in Baku. He is a Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor, and academician of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. His party affiliation is shown as non-partisan on the National Assembly's website.
Ziyad Samadzade was re-elected as a deputy on September 23, 2024, and represents the 23rd Nasimi-Sabail constituency. He is currently a member of the Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, and Entrepreneurship. He also heads the working group on Azerbaijan-Belarus inter-parliamentary relations.
Academician Ziyad Samadzade has been elected as a deputy a total of 8 times: he has been a deputy of the III, IV, V, VI, and VII convocations of the National Assembly of the Republic of Azerbaijan (continuously since 2005).
He was previously elected as a deputy 3 times during the Soviet and transitional periods: he was a deputy of the X, XI, and XII convocations of the Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR (during the XII convocation, i.e., in 1990–1995, he also served as the first deputy chairman of the Supreme Soviet on the eve of independence).
Ukraine – Yuli Ioffe, 85 years old
The oldest deputy of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada is Yuli Ioffe.
Born on December 10, 1940, Ioffe is currently 85 years old. He has been a deputy of the Ukrainian parliament in various convocations and is currently a member of the “Platform for Life and Peace” deputy group.
According to official information from the Verkhovna Rada, Ioffe was elected to parliament in 2019 from the list of the “Opposition Platform – For Life” party. He currently works in the deputy group.
His parliamentary history is quite long: official data show that he was a deputy in the I, II, III, IV, VII, VIII, and IX convocations.
Moldova – Vladimir Voronin, 85 years old
The oldest deputy of the Moldovan parliament is the country's former president, Vladimir Voronin.
Born on May 25, 1941, V. Voronin is currently 85 years old. According to information from the Moldovan parliament, he became the oldest deputy of the XII convocation of parliament formed after the elections held in 2025. At that time, he was 84 years old.
Voronin was elected to parliament from the list of the Communists and Socialists bloc. He currently holds his 9th parliamentary mandate in the current parliament.
The most important stage of V. Voronin's political career is related to the presidency of Moldova. He was the president of Moldova from 2001–2009. Before and after that, he led the Party of Communists of the Republic of Moldova for a long time.
According to information from the Moldovan parliament, after the 2025 elections, the youngest deputies in the new legislative p were 26 years old, and the oldest deputy – Vladimir Voronin – was 84 years old.
Armenia – Knyaz Hasanov, 81 years old
The oldest deputy in the Armenian parliament is Knyaz Hasanov. He is an ethnic Yazidi Kurd.
K. Hasanov was born on January 17, 1945, and is currently 81 years old. He is a deputy of the ruling "Civil Contract" Party led by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Knyaz Hasanov was elected to parliament through a special quota reserved for national minorities (Kurdish community) on the ruling party's list.
He is represented in the ruling party's faction in the legislative p and supports the government's position in votes.
K. Hasanov has previously been represented in various convocations of the Armenian parliament.
Turkey – Devlet Bahçeli, 78 years old
The oldest deputy of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) is Devlet Bahçeli, the chairman of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP).
D. Bahçeli was born in 1948 and completed his 78th year in 2026. The official website of the TBMM indicates that he is the 28th convocation deputy for Osmaniye.
The MHP chairman has been active in Turkish politics and parliament for many years. According to information from the TBMM, he was also elected as a deputy from Osmaniye in the 21st, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 27th convocations.
Devlet Bahçeli was registered as the oldest deputy of the current parliament formed in 2023.
Iran – Alaeddin Boroujerdi, 75 years old
The current oldest member of the Iranian parliament (Islamic Consultative Assembly) is Alaeddin Boroujerdi.
Born on March 21, 1951, Boroujerdi is currently 75 years old. He was 73 years old when he was elected to parliament in 2024.
The name of A. Boroujerdi is particularly remembered in connection with the first session of parliament. As the oldest deputy in the first session of the XII convocation, he was part of the temporary leadership of the parliament.
Uzbekistan – Nariman Umarov, 74 years old
The oldest deputy of the Legislative Chamber of Uzbekistan is Nariman Umarov.
N. Umarov was born in 1952 and is currently 74 years old. When the new parliament was formed in 2024, he was registered as the oldest deputy at 72 years old.
In the official list of deputies of the Uzbek parliament, N. Umarov is listed as a member of the "Adolat" Social Democratic Party faction. He works in the Committee on Democratic Institutions and the Development of Civil Society.
Nariman Umarov previously served in the leadership of the "Adolat" Party and participated in elections as a candidate for the presidency of Uzbekistan.
Georgia – Vladimer Kakhadze, 72 years old
The oldest deputy of the Georgian parliament is Vladimer Kakhadze.
Born on October 28, 1953, Kakhadze is 72 years old. He is a radiologist by profession.
The official website of the Georgian parliament lists V. Kakhadze as a member of the ruling "Georgian Dream" faction.
Turkmenistan – Bayly Seyilov, 67 years old
The oldest deputy of the Mejlis of Turkmenistan is Bayly Toyliyevich Seyilov.
Seyilov was born on February 19, 1959, in Dashoguz province and is currently 67 years old.
The official website of the Turkmen parliament lists him as a member of the Committee on the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms. Seyilov represents the 52nd "Aksaray" constituency.
He has a legal education and has worked in agriculture, law, and local government in various years. According to his official biography on the parliament's website, he once worked in the district committee of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan.
Belarus – Ivan Gordeychik, 69 years old
The oldest deputy of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament, is Ivan Gordeychik.
Born in 1957, Gordeychik is 69 years old. He was 66 years old during the 2024 elections.
Ivan Gordeychik is known as a non-partisan deputy. He was the former head of the Belarusian Union of Veterans.
Kazakhstan – Erlan Batyrbekov, 65 years old
In Kazakhstan, a particularly noteworthy situation has arisen because the parliamentary system changed in 2026. The oldest member of the new unicameral Kurultay is Erlan Batyrbekov.
E. Batyrbekov was born in 1961 and was 65 years old when he was elected to parliament.
The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan registered Batyrbekov as a deputy of the Kurultay after the elections on August 23, 2026.
Batyrbekov's main activity has been related to science and nuclear energy. He has held leadership positions at Kazakhstan's National Nuclear Center.
A. Gafarli
