Despite recent upheavals in the Middle East and the celebration of what has been called the “fourth wave of democracy,” some countries still couple authoritarian rule with a high degree of stability. In the South Caucasus region, Azerbaijan represents a paradigmatic case. This article identifies and discusses two main reasons that contribute to the surprising stability of Aliyev’s regime: the persistence of strong informal institutions –next to weak democratic ones–, and a widespread political culture that can hardly be considered as conducive to a democratic turn.