Campaigns for Armenia’s December 9 parliamentary election began on November 26.
This is the first nationwide election in Armenia after the “Velvet Revolution”. According to the November data released by the Central Electoral Commission, 2,574,916 citizens have the right to vote.
There are 13 electoral districts in Armenia. Parliament seats will be proportionately dispersed among all political powers that receive the minimum percentages – 5% for parties and 7% for party alliances.
During the elections, various NGO’s will carry out observation missions, including:
- Transparency International – 37 observers
- Armenian Centre of Human Rights’ Protection after Fridtjof Nansen – 40 observers
- Educational and Cultural Bridges – 60 observers
- Proportional Community Development – 5410 observers
- Helsinki Committee of Armenia – 176 observers
Eleven political powers are participating in the elections:
- My Step Alliance led by Nikol Pashinyan, Acting Prime Minister who led the Velvet Revolution and is a former journalist.
- Prosperous Armenia Party led by Gagik Tsarukyan, businessman, parliament member.
- Republican Party of Armenia led by Vigen Sargsyan, First Vice President of the Republican Party and former Defense Minister
- National Progress Party led by Lusine Haroyan, sociologist and psychologist.
- Bright Armenia Party led by Edmon Marukyan, parliament member and former political partner of Nikol Pashinyan.
- Armenian Revolutionary Federation led by Armen Rustamyan, a parliament member, first elected in 1999.
- We Alliance led by Aram Sargsyan, leader of Republic party.
- Sasna Tsrer Party led by Varuzhan Avetisyan, a lawyer and Reserve Colonel.
- Citizen’s Decision Social-Democratic Party led by Suren Sahakyan, economist.
- Christian-Democratic Rebirth Party led by Levon Shirinyan, political scientist.
- Rule of Law Party led by Artur Baghdasaryan, former parliament chairman and former secretary of the National Security Council.
Ani Paitjan
