2021-04-11 08:41:43
Let’s take a look at Armenia’s electoral processes throughout the past 30 years
ELECTIONS:
There have only been
two snap elections since gaining independence:
first it was the 1998 Presidential elections when Levon Ter-Petrosyan (LTP) was forced to step down and therefore resigned, and
the second was the 2018 Parliamentary elections.
Officially, the parliamentary opposition has never called for
snap elections, however there have always been some “parties” that demanded Government’s resignation and new elections:
1991 Presidential elections - LTP got 83% of the electoral votes, but calls for his resignation began as soon as a year later
1995 elections for both the
Constitutional Referendum and
Parliamentary Elections
1996 Presidential elections -
LTP got 52%, however the results were contested!
Vazgen Manukyan (leader of the 17+ parties) had received
41% of the votes. The U.S. State Secretary office called the elections as
controversial. Indeed, Yerevan’s streets those days perhaps years were full of protests
1998 Presidential elections
due to LTP resigning - Robert Qocharyan becomes the new President. His main opponent was one of the prominent leaders of Soviet Armenia,
Karen Demirchyan who voiced the illegitimacy of the elections and the entire process, however decided not to contest and wait for the 1999 Parliamentary elections
1999 elections -
Karen Demirchyan and Vazgen Sargsyan Union wins the majority in the Parliament. This election is known to be as free and fair, as a result allowing 6 fractions to gain seats in the Parliament.
A few months later on October 27, 1999 Armenia suffered a huge blow, a terrorist attack which left our country beheaded,
Karen Demirchyan, the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan were shot dead inside the Parliament.
2003 elections for both Presidential and Parliamentary. Robert Qocharyan’s main opponent is Karen Demirchyan’s son,
Stepan Demirchyan who contested the elections with a full list of evidence at the Constitutional Court. The Constitutional Court acknowledged that there was a
voter fraud by stuffing, mistakes in counting the votes, double voting, and contradictions in reporting the votes.
Regardless, the Court decided to keep Qocharyan but promised for “Approval Referendum” in 2004. Qocharyan
never conducts the referendum.
People marched on the streets, and Qocharyan “had to” use brutal force to disperse the mass protests.
2007 Parliamentary elections - after which LTP announces of his return
2008 Presidential elections - LTP’s main opponent was Serzh Sargsyan to whom Qocharyan was preparing to transfer power to.
LTP (representing the opposition) contested the election results through peaceful protests on March 1.
Later that day, the Armed Forces entered the city center and as a result,
10 citizens were shot dead.
Hundreds of opposition leaders and activists were politically persecuted and jailed including
Nikol Pashinyan.
2012 Parliamentary elections...
2013 Presidential elections where Serzh Sargsyan’s main opponent was Raffi Hovannisian who not only contested the results but also had publicly sworn in as the President (during a protest).
2015, through Constitutional Referendum Sargsyan changed the constitution, and according to the new one Armenia moved from Presidential to Parliamentary system, giving the Prime Minister a “Super” status!
2017 Parliamentary elections last only a year as
Serzh Sargsyan was forced to step down on April 23, 2018 through Velvet Revolution!
2018 Parliamentary elections where Pashinyan received 70.44% of the votes. This election is known as free and fair election, although we acknowledge the euphoria.
What’s waiting for us in the upcoming
Snap election?
@YerevanLights
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