Political Party System

There are 65 political parties in Armenia, whose charters comply with the law “About political parties”. The political life in the country remains in the state of total controversy between the radical opposition, represented by the “Spravedlivost” (“Justice”) party and the “Natsional’noje Edinenije” (“National Unity”) party, and the coalition of the parties in power – the Republican Party of Armenia, “Orinats Yerkir”, and “Dashnaktsutyun”. Practically all other political groupings have to accept the rules of this standoff not to be expelled from the country’s political life.

The present situation has come about in Armenia after the 2003 parliamentary and presidential elections. The opposition refused to recognize the results of the elections, having announced Robert Kocharian an illegitimate President. The parliamentary elections were as well announced concocted. At the same time the coalition parties united around the President of the country which resulted in the first coalition government in the history of independent Armenia. According to the memorandum, signed by the coalition, three ministerial positions in the government are filled by the President, “Orinats Ekir” and “Dashnaktsutyun”, and seven belong to the Republican Party of Armenia.

Due to the defeat in election to the National Assembly the opposition now has little influence. The “Justice” faction has 14, while “National Unity” has 7 seats out of 131. The standoff between the coalition and the opposition provoked in 2004 boycott of the parliamentary sessions by the opposition.

• Republican Party of Armenia - , www.hhk.am

  Serzh Sarkisyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, head of the Party.

• “Orinats Yerkir” Party (the State of Justice) -

  Artur Bagdasarian, Speaker of the National Assembly, head of the Party.

• People’s Party of Armenia

  Stepan Demirchian, the PPA leader, head of the “Spravedlivost” (Justice) opposition bloc, deputy of the National Assembly.

• People’s Democratic Union Party (PDU) -

  Vazgen Manukian, ex-Defense minister, ex-PM of the Republic of Armenia, head of the Party.

• The “Republic” Party

  Aram Zavenovich Sarkisian, ex-PM of the Republic of Armenia, head of the Party, deputy of the National Assembly.

• The “National Unity” Party -

  Artashes Gegamian, head of the Party, deputy of the National Assembly.

• Armenian Revolutionary Federation “Dashnaktsutyun” (ARFD) - , www.arf.am, www.yerkir.am

  Vagan Ovannissian, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, ARFD member.