Armenia’s ruling party defeated in three major local elections

On October 17, 2021, Armenians in several villages, towns and cities headed to the polls to vote in local elections. In a major blow, the ruling Civil Contract party of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was defeated in Armenia’s second largest city of Gyumri, as well as in Goris in the southern region of Syunik. The ruling party did however secure victories in Dilijan, Tegh and Tatev.

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What becomes of the millions of ballots after Armenia’s election?

Armenians voted in their next parliament on June 20. There are 2,300,000 eligible voters in the country. But due to the fact that over 20 parties were participating in the election, the Central Electoral Commission had printed roughly 70 million ballots.

So what becomes of these ballot slips once the elections are over?

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Explaining the Vision of Sasna Tsrer and the National Democratic Axis

Armenia’s National Democratic Axis - a political bloc that includes the Sasna Tsrer Party - came in eighth place in the June 20 election, meaning it did not win any seats in parliament. Garegin Chugaszyan, member of the Secretariat of the Sasna Tsrer Pan-Armenian Party and board member of the National Democatic Axis, explains the political bloc’s vision and policy ideas. Chugaszyan also explains the electoral bloc’s stance towards Russia, the Pashinyan government, and his message to those weary of this political movement’s history.

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2021 Armenian Elections – What’s Next?

By Emilio Luciano Cricchio

Following Armenia’s snap parliamentary elections on June 20, two opposition forces have entered the Armenian Parliament, former President Robert Kocharyan’s Armenia Alliance has garnered 27 seats and the I Have Honor electoral bloc has garnered six seats.

Both alliances have announced their intention to challenge the results of the election in the Constitutional Court, the highest court in the country.

What does this mean practically?

First, the Central Electoral Commission will draw up a legal document or protocol on the election results seven days after voting day, on June 27.

Any political force that wishes to appeal, can do so by submitting an application to the Constitutional Court five days after the official publication of the election results.

The court must then make a decision within 15 days of the submission of the application.

If an elected candidate decides to not take up their seat in parliament in protest, the seat is then given to the next candidate on the electoral list of that bloc or party.

If there is no other candidate in the first section of the electoral list that can take up the parliamentary seat, then the seat will remain vacant.

According to the Armenian Constitution, if someone resigns their seat in parliament, no by-election will take place.

The next legislature will be considered formed once the Central Electoral Commission officially hands over the mandates to all the members of the National Assembly.

The first session of parliament will take place on the second Monday after the formation of the National Assembly.

If there is no appeal to the Constitutional Court, the first sitting of the National Assembly will take place on July 5.

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The View From Georgia: Armenian Elections

By Norik Gasparyan

The Georgian public closely monitored the Armenian parliamentary elections, as well as the country’s pre-election and post-election processes. Georgia's opposition and civil society, both of which are sympathetic towards Nikol Pashinyan, drew parallels between Armenia and Georgia’s 2019 elections.

Giorgi Kanashvili, a specialist in conflicts and regional issues, tells CivilNet that the sympathy towards Nikol Pashinyan is conditioned by the fact that Georgians perceive him as a pro-Western figure.

"There is sympathy for Pashinyan in Georgia because he is considered a democratic politician, and people believe that a democratic Armenia is better both for Georgia and the region," Kanashvili said.

Zaza Abashidze, one of the few Georgian journalists covering the elections who has been in Armenia for more than a week, says that for Georgians, the most interesting aspect of the elections was that all previous presidents were participating.

"Unfortunately, acts of political revenge have not ended in Georgia. Despite the fact that there have been attempts to arrest former Armenian presidents, all of them were still in the country, participating in the elections. This is a bit unusual for us," Abashidze said, noting that former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili had been sentenced in absentia and cannot return to Georgia. And, the first president, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, has been assassinated.

Abashidze also says that the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia (CEC) was more organized than in Georgia, and that the Live broadcasts from polling stations is a good example of transparency.

"Transparency, finances, media, and other components needed to hold democratic elections were protected, unlike in Georgia. And, in my view, the main electoral violations were committed by the supporters of the opposition, in particular, Kocharyan’s supporters. This is also strange for us," Abashidze adds.

According to him, Georgian society sees in Pashinyan what it wishes to see in Georgia.

Another journalist covering the Armenian election, Aka Zarqua, who is the editor-in-chief of Realpolitik periodical, says that the most intriguing factor was that despite the defeat in the war, and considering that all three former presidents were opposing Pashinyan, Pashinyan’s party still won.

"If before Georgia was considered the region’s center of democracy, now, Armenia also belongs in this category. This was already the second free and democratic election," said Zarqua.

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Armenia Extends Ban on Some Turkish Imports By Another Six Months

• The Central Electoral Commission announces the result of the election recount.
  • Armenia extends the ban on some Turkish imports by six months.
  • RSF has condemned threats by Azerbaijani soldiers against a group of Spanish journalists in Gegharkunik.

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The Hard Lessons and Harder Truths Some Armenians Need to Hear

In the latest edition of Insights with Eric Hacopian, Eric looks over the post-election developments of the past few days. Eric also speaks on the reactions in the diaspora, the comparisons that can be drawn with Azerbaijani authoritarianism and why free and fair elections are important.

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Pashinyan Holds Consultations With Opposition Figures, Calls for Dialogue with Church

• The Armed Forces Chief has announced that a commission has been set up to look into the circumstances of the 44 day war.
  • Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan holds consultations with opposition figures.
  • The foreign ministers of Austria, Lithuania and Romania will travel to Armenia.

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I Have Honor Alliance says it may join Armenia Alliance in disputing election results

By Emilio Luciano Cricchio

Artur Vanetsyan, the leader of the I Have Honor Alliance which won seven seats in Armenia’s next parliament, has stated that he is in discussion with other parties on potentially disputing the June 20 snap parliamentary election results in the country’s Constitutional Court. Vanetsyan stated this in a press conference on June 23.

The I Have Honor electoral bloc garnered 5.23% of votes in the 2021 legislative elections, and is led by former National Security Service head Artur Vanetsyan. Two other major figures in the bloc are former President Serzh Sargsyan and former Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan.

Also Read: ** Armenia Voted - Now What?**

Despite not passing the 7% necessary threshold to enter parliament, the bloc still enters parliament because Armenia’s electoral code stipulates that a third force must enter parliament regardless of its performance in the election. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party came in first and second President Robert Kocharyan's Armenia Alliance came in second.

“I haven’t said that we accept the election results, all the violations that took place are being collected, the issue of applying to the Constitutional Court is being discussed with other political forces,” Vanetsyan said.

When asked by a reporter whether Vanetsyan himself will take up his seat in parliament, he responded that he will go to parliament and “not leave his team alone.”

Also Watch: ** Why did Pashinyan win?**

On June 21, one day after the election, the Armenia Alliance electoral bloc of former President Robert Kocharyan announced that it would apply to the Constitutional Court, regarding the validity of the election results, citing widespread violations and discrepancies.

"The bloc is launching political consultations with other forces who participated in the elections to discuss the possibility of applying to the Constitutional Court together," the bloc’s statement read.

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Russian Peacekeepers May be Deployed to Armenia’s Eastern Borders, Says Armed Forces Chief

• Armenia’s Armed Forces Chief states that talks are underway to deploy Russian border guards on the Armenian eastern border.
  • Former President Robert Kocharyan is mulling whether to take up his parliamentary seat.
  • Protesters in Stepanakert call for the resignation of Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan.

Credits: Ruptly

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