Baku, Azerbaijan ? Azerbaijan’s ruling party took an early lead in Sunday’s parliamentary elections in this oil-rich, strategically located former Soviet republic that has been led by the same family for years, but the opposition charged widespread fraud.

The ballot was closely watched for signs of improvement on flawed past elections that sparked violence and instability in a Caspian Sea nation that lies in the restive region between Russia and Iran.

It was considered an uneven contest, however, given President Ilham Aliev’s authoritarian rule and a pre-election police crackdown that further weakened a feeble opposition.

With votes counted from 62 percent of precincts, 65 candidates from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party were in the lead, followed by 38 independents – who could include ruling party loyalists – and seven opposition candidates, according to the Central Elections Commission.