Azerbaijan's president, Ilham Aliyev, 55, appointed his wife Mehriban, 52, as the first Vice President of Azerbaijan, making her the person next in line in the nation's power hierarchy.
The position of First Vice President is a new one and was created just last September after a constitutional referendum in September. The referendum also extended the presidential term from five to seven years.
With this new position as the First Vice President, Mehriban will take over the presidency if the president is unable to perform his duties. Mehriban, who married her husband when she was 19, graduated from a medical university and has served previously as a lawmaker and headed a charity.
