Political expert: Armenian society is polarized while the opposition is marginalized
01.03.2016,
18:26
A campaign for 2017 parliamentary elections has actually kicked off in Armenia, the director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan said today.
YEREVAN, March 1. /ARKA/. A campaign for 2017 parliamentary elections has actually kicked off in Armenia, the director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan said today.
Speaking at a news conference, he said the indications are the establishment of a coalition between the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/ Dashnaktsutyun (ARF), the government reshuffle and some other developments.
According to Iskandaryan, the situation before the parliamentary election promises to be interesting, because Armenian voters never thought of parliamentary elections being the chief political event.
A package of constitutional reforms put to a referendum last December and approved by the majority of voters will turn Armenia into a parliamentary republic after the incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan completes his second and final term in office in 2018.
Comparing the situation today with what there was eight years ago when a series of mass protests against alleged electoral fraud were held in the wake of the presidential election on 19 February, organized by supporters of the unsuccessful presidential candidate and first president Levon Ter-Pertrosyan resulting in the death of 10 people, Iskandaryan said the situation has worsened as the society does not accept either the authorities or the opposition and the most common feeling is apathy.
‘In contrast to 2008, all major parties are now represented in the National Assembly, however, they still are unable to influence the making of important decisions, while the ruling Republican Party of Armenia is controlling the parliament, the government and the presidential palace.
"The 2015 December constitutional referendum indicated that the Republicans feel pretty confident, but not because they are strong and legitimate. They are neither strong nor legitimate psychologically, but because they are not opposed by anyone," he said.
The society, according to Iskandaryan, is polarized while the opposition marginalized and as a serious political body it simply does not exist. -0-
Speaking at a news conference, he said the indications are the establishment of a coalition between the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/ Dashnaktsutyun (ARF), the government reshuffle and some other developments.
According to Iskandaryan, the situation before the parliamentary election promises to be interesting, because Armenian voters never thought of parliamentary elections being the chief political event.
A package of constitutional reforms put to a referendum last December and approved by the majority of voters will turn Armenia into a parliamentary republic after the incumbent president Serzh Sargsyan completes his second and final term in office in 2018.
Comparing the situation today with what there was eight years ago when a series of mass protests against alleged electoral fraud were held in the wake of the presidential election on 19 February, organized by supporters of the unsuccessful presidential candidate and first president Levon Ter-Pertrosyan resulting in the death of 10 people, Iskandaryan said the situation has worsened as the society does not accept either the authorities or the opposition and the most common feeling is apathy.
‘In contrast to 2008, all major parties are now represented in the National Assembly, however, they still are unable to influence the making of important decisions, while the ruling Republican Party of Armenia is controlling the parliament, the government and the presidential palace.
"The 2015 December constitutional referendum indicated that the Republicans feel pretty confident, but not because they are strong and legitimate. They are neither strong nor legitimate psychologically, but because they are not opposed by anyone," he said.
The society, according to Iskandaryan, is polarized while the opposition marginalized and as a serious political body it simply does not exist. -0-
