Voters in Armenia will head to the polls on December 9, 2018 to cast their ballot in snap parliamentary elections following the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on October 16. Pashinyan’s resignation was meant to force pre-term elections in a bid to get the country moving forward following an extraordinary series of events in April-May of this year that came to be known as the Velvet Revolution. Those events triggered the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan on April 23, leading to a political crisis, unprecedented in Armenia’s 27 years of independence. After massive protests across the country, the Republican Party-dominated parliament eventually elected Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister on May 8.
After forming his government, Pashinyan made it clear in his government’s program that he would lead the country to early elections to ensure that parliament was a “reflection of the people’s will.” That being said, without a majority or a consensus in parliament, Pashinyan’s government would not have been able to function, pass legislation and implement policies without the support of parliamentary political forces. Although it was expected that early elections would be held in the spring of 2019, political machinations in early October by the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) with the support of the Prosperous Party of Armenia (PAP) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) to make amendments in the procedural regulations of the National Assembly (that would stall Pashinyan’s bid to call early elections), led to a large protest in front of parliament, the sacking of several ministers from the PAP and ARF and Pashinyan’s early resignation.
Eleven political parties and coalition of parties have officially registered with the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia.
The political forces taking part in the election appear in the following order on the official ballot:
1. Republican Party of Armenia (RPA)
2. Citizen’s Decision Social Democratic Party
3. Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF)
4. My Step Coalition
5. Bright Armenia Party
6. Christian-Democrat Rebirth Party
7. National Progress Party
8. Menq Coalition
9. Country of Law (Orinats Yerkir)
10. Sasna Tsrer
11. Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP)
Upon his election as Prime Minister on May 8, Nikol Pashinyan also promised that the Electoral Code would be amended to allow for a fair race. While two special commissions were set up to make amendments to the Electoral Code (PM’s Special Commission on Electoral Reform and Parliamentary Working Group on Electoral Reform), the bill, when presented to parliament was rejected. Therefore, citizens will be going to the polls under the old Electoral Code, which foresees that each political party or bloc taking part in the elections will have one national electoral list of candidates, including one district electoral list for each district (up to 15 candidates in each district electoral list depending on population rates). In order to secure seats in parliament, political parties will have to pass a minimum five percent threshold and blocs will require a minimum seven percent threshold. There are 13 electoral districts - four in the capital Yerevan and nine covering the rest of the country.
The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) formally opened an election observation mission in Armenia to monitor the snap elections following an official invitation from the country’s authorities. The mission is led by Ambassador Urszula Gacek and consists of a core team of 13 election experts, based in Yerevan, and 24 long-term observers to be deployed in teams of two across the country. ODIHR has also requested that OSCE participating States provide 250 short-term observers to monitor proceedings on Election Day.
According to the Central Electoral Commission, there are 2,574,916 eligible voters in the Republic of Armenia and 2000 electoral precincts throughout the country.
In the April 2, 2017 parliamentary election, there were five political parties and four coalition of parties (blocs/alliances) participating; there was a 60.86 percent turnout for that vote.
The campaign officially kicks off on November 26 and runs until December 7.
1452 candidates will run for a minimum of 101-seats in parliament.
Republican Party of Armenia- N1
"If You Are Concerned, Vote for the Republican Party" (123 candidates)
1. Vigen Sargsyan (RPA)
Former defense minister (2016-18); From 2000-03, Sargsyan served in the Armenian Armed Forces and as adviser to the Minister of Defence. Lectured at the American University of Armenia (2001-11). In 2009, appointed as Deputy Head of Presidential Administration for Serzh Sargsyan.
2. Arpine Hovhannisyan Arpine (RPA) - MP, Deputy Speaker of Parliament
Served as an aid to the Chief of Staff of Armenia’s President (2008). Adviser to the Speaker of Parliament (2008-11). Elected to parliament in 2012; Member of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly. Appointed as Minister of Justice in September, 2015 and re-appointed in 2016. Member of the RPA Executive Body; in 2017 was re-elected to parliament; May 19, 2017: Elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
3. Davit Shahnazaryan (non-partisan)
Senior Analyst for the Regional Studies Center (RSC); founder and chair of the Center for Legal and Political Studies “Concord,” and former two-term MP in the Armenian parliament (from 1991-95 and 1995-99), as well as a founding member of the Board of the Armenian National Movement Party. He has held several senior-level posts in the Armenian government, serving as the Ambassador of the President of Armenia on Special Missions and Special Representative of the President of Armenia from 1992-95, and as Minister of National Security from 1994-95.
4. Vahram Baghdasaryan (RPA) - MP, Leader of RPA Faction
Member of Parliament (electoral district #37) since 2003. Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Financial-Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs; Member of the Committee of EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation. Secretary of the “People's Deputy” parliamentary group. Non partisan. In 2012, was elected MP by the proportional electoral system from the RPA. Member of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly. From 2014-17 was head of the RPA faction. Elected MP on April 2, 2017 by the district electoral list of the electoral district #9 of the RPA.
5. Armen Ashotyan (RPA) - Member of Parliament
Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia from 2009-16. First elected to parliament in 2005 by the proportional electoral system for RPA. Has served on a number of parliamentary committees including Social Affairs, Health Care and Environment; European Integration and Chair of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth. Elected to parliament in April 2017 by the RPA national electoral list.
6. Eduard Sharmazanov (RPA) - MP, Deputy Speaker of Parliament
Since 2011, Sharmazanov has served as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament; official spokesperson of the RPA. First elected to parliament in 2007 by proportional system from the Republican Party of Armenia. In 2005-07, he served as an aid to the Prime Minister. Re-elected to parliament in April 2017 on the RPA ticket.
7. Arman Sahakyan (RPA) - Member of Parliament
President of the Official Representative of Vidis Distribution of Philip Morris International Company (2008-12). President of the Gyumri “Shirak” Football Club since 2010. Elected to parliament in 2012 from electoral district #35 on the RPA ticket. Member of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs; re-elected to parliament by the territorial electoral list of electoral district #11 of the RPA.
8. Karine Achemyan (RPA) - Member of Parliament
Member of the Women’s Council of the RPA since 2005. First elected to parliament in 2009. Member of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport of the National Assembly. Member of the RPA faction. Elected as MP in 2012 by the proportional electoral system from the RPA. Re-elected to parliament in April, 2017.
9. Menua Harutyunyan (non-partisan)
Political scientist, advisor to the Republican Party of Armenia. Slaq.am
10. Artashes Geghamyan (National Unity Party) - Member of Parliament
From 1995-99, served as a member of parliament for the electoral district N7. From 1999-2003 served a second term as an MP (from the proportional list of the Law and Unity Alliance), where he served on the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations and was the leader of the Law and Unity Faction. Geghamyan was a candidate in the 2003 presidential election. From 2003-07, was a member of parliament (proportional electoral system, NU faction.) Head of the NU faction. Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, member of the RA delegation to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, member of the International Parliamentary Organization, “Parliamentarians for Global Actions.” May 6, 2012, he was elected as a member of parliament from the proportional electoral system from the Republican Party of Armenia. Geghamyan was re-elected to parliament in April 2017 by the RPA national electoral list.
Citizen's Decision - N2
"The Future is Yours" (80 candidates)
1. Suren Sahakyan
Sahakyan is a graduate of Yerevan State University of Economics. Has been working in the private sector since 2008. From 2013-18 was involved in a number of civic initiatives, including the recent Velvet Revolution.
2. Artak Kirakosyan
Kirakosyan is the Director of the Civil Society Institute NGO since 2017 and Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) since 2010. From 1999-2017 was the Program Director at Civil Society Institute and during his time in that position focused on issues such as anti-corruption, freedom of information, civil society development, peacebuilding, rehabilitation of convicts, and probation service. From 2004-07 was the Education Sector Monitoring Expert at United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Armenia office.
3. Ruzanna Torozyan
Torozyan is the Executive Director of Women’s Development “Resource Center” Foundation. She has 15 years of experience in civil society organizations and political projects as well as working with women in communities. Since 2014 is the President of WINNET Armenia Association of Women Resource Centers, which is an umbrella organization for seven women resource centers all over Armenia and supports women’s empowerment.
4. Areg Tadevosyan
Tadevosyan is the Vice President of the International Center for Intercultural Research, Learning and Dialogue (ICIRLD), youth worker and freelance trainer, with more than 12 years of experience in NGO sector. From 2002-04 worked as educational advisor at “All-Armenian International Youth Center”. He was one of the authors and editors of the National Youth Report of Armenia, and has also worked as a trainer and facilitator in a couple of large-scale international youth projects organized by various international organizations.
5. Hayk Sahakyan
Sahakyan is a graduate of the Yerevan State University, Faculty of International Relations. Since 2001 works in the NGO sector as a sociological researcher and education program coordinator. Sahakyan also has experience in the field of electronic media. He has been an active participant of Teghut, Mashtots Park, Electric Yerevan, Amulsar civic society movements as well as the recent Armenian Velvet Revolution. In February 2014 was in Kiev to study the characteristics of Maidan movement.
6. Samvel Grigoryan
Grigoryan is the Founding Director of Smep Solutions, Risk & Insurance consulting. He is also an acting Board Member of Nairi Insurance since March of 2018. From 2010-18 was Chief Executive Officer at RESCO Insurance. Prior to that worked at Unibank as a First Deputy Chairman of the Board (2004-10), and UNIASTRUM Bank as a Senior Financial Analyst (2003-04).
7. Astgh Melkonyan
Received her Masters in Information Technologies from the Department of Management of Information Systems at Yerevan State University. She has worked as a quality assurance engineer in Geno6 company, later as IT Project Manager at Vecto.it. From March, 2018, she was with Softconstruct Company and later at SCDM LLC as a project manager. Melkonian has taken part in the 2013 protests against the increase in transportation fees, in 2015’s Electric Yerevan demonstrations and the Velvet Revolution.
8. Artur Avagyan
Avagyan is the Founding Director of “Innovation Technology” Company. Prior to that he held executive positions in several companies including the Deputy Director at “Sargis Avagyan” LTD (2013-18) and at “Byurakn” (2011-13). Avagyan also worked at “Polimet Corporation” Armenian-Canadian Joint Venture LLC as the Adviser to CEO on Legal Affairs (2015-16).
9. Grigor Petrosyan
Petrosyan works as a Senior Software Engineer at IntellCores since 2012. Prior to that he worked in a number of IT companies, including Hitegrity as Senior Software Engineer (2009-12), Synopsys SG as R&D Engineer (2005-09), and at ABM Soft as Software Engineer (2002-05). From 2001-15, he worked at the Institute for Informatics and Automation Problems at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia as a scientific researcher.
10. Karen Harutyunyan
Harutyunyan has over ten years of experience in building, maintaining, and troubleshooting computer and network systems. Since 2018, he works at ServiceTitan as a Senior Software Engineer. Prior to that worked at EPAM Systems (2016-18), at BetConstruct as Software Engineer (2014-16) and at Global Credit UCO as Senior System/Network Administrator (2010-13).
Armenian Revolutionary Federation - N3
"Faithful to the Soil and the Armenian" (152 candidates)
1. Armen Rustamyan - MP, Leader of ARF Faction
Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation faction and a representative of the ARF Supreme Body. From 1999-2003, was a Deputy of the National Assembly (proportional electoral system, ARF), Vice Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly. From 2003-07, was a Deputy of the National Assembly (proportional electoral system, ARF), Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly. From 2007-12, elected for a third term as a member of parliament for the ARF; Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations. May 6, 2012 was elected Deputy of the National Assembly by the proportional system from the ARF party. Since 2015, he is the political representative of the ARF Bureau.
2. Arsen Hambardzumyan (ARF)
Representative of the ARF Supreme Body. Hambardzumyan has been a member of the ARF since 1992. From 1999-2005, he was a chief specialist of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation faction in parliament. In June 2008, Hambardzumyan was appointed Minister of Labor and Social Affairs and was dismissed from the post on May 12, 2009.
3. Artur Khachatryan (ARF)
Previously served as the Project Coordinator of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Office in Yerevan (2002-05), the Director of the California Trade Office (2005-08), Consulting Solutions Officer at Management Mix (2008-10), Academic Dean of Management Faculty; Head of Finance and Accounting Chair of the French University in Armenia (2011-13), Deputy Director of Operations and Head of Human Resources at Ardshininvestbank, and Director of Vivat Consulting (2011-13, 2015-16). Khachatryan also served as the Deputy Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of Armenia (2016-17) as well as the Governor of Shirak region (2017-18). And just recently, was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture (May 2018) and dismissed in October of the same year.
4. Armenuhi Kyureghyan (ARF) - Member of Parliament
Member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) since 2006. On April 2, 2017 was elected to parliament from the ARF national electoral list and serves as the secretary of the party. During her time in Parliament, she has served on the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport, Standing Committee on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs, and Standing Committee on Health Care and Social Affairs. From 2016-17, was a member of the Vanadzor Municipal Council. In 2005 was the head of civic initiatives of Lori province centers and in 2004 Head of the Higher School of Women's Leadership adjunct to the Association. Since 1997, she is also the secretary, then deputy chair, chair of the Vanadzor branch of the Association of Women with University Education.
5. Spartak Seyranyan (ARF) - Member of Parliament
Member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) since 1989. From 2006-07 was elected a Member of Parliament by the ARF proportional electoral system, and on May 24, 2018 was elected again as a Deputy as part of the ARF faction. From 2008-09 was a Minister of Education and Science. Seyranyan was the editor-in-chief of Yerkir newspaper (2004-06), and Deputy Director of “Noravank” Scientific-Educational Fund (2001-06). During his time in Parliament, he was a Member of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly.
6. Artsvik Minasyan (ARF)
Minasyan is a member of the ARF Party. On May of 2018 was appointed as the Minister of Economic Development and Investments and dismissed from the post on October of the same year. From 2005-07 was the Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs. As a result of the coalition cooperation between RPA and ARF, Minasyan was appointed as the Minister of Economy on February of 2016 and held that post until October of the same year. After that he was appointed as the Minister of Nature Protection (September 2016). He was twice elected as a Member of Parliament in 2007 and 2012 from the proportional list of ARF.
7. Nune Petrosyan (ARF)
Member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation since 1997. Participated in the 2017 parliamentary elections as part ARF’s proportional list but was not elected as a Deputy. A doctor, Petrosyan is the Director of the Children's Specialized Commission of Medical and Social Expertise at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs since 2016.
8. Ishkhan Saghatelyan (ARF)
Member of ARF Supreme Body since 2016. Saghatelyan was the Governor of Gegharkunik region from June of 2018 to October of the same year. In 2016 worked as the advisor to the Minister of Nature Protection; from 2009-12 worked as an assistant to a Member of Parliament. He is also the founder of “Imega Service” LLC and
since 2010 is the founding-director of “Navasar Investment” Company.
9. Ashot Simonyan (ARF)
From 2017-May 2018 served as the Governor of Aragatsotn Region. Based on the decision of the Government was appointed to the same post on June of 2018 and resigned again on October of the same year.
10. Suren Manukyan (ARF) - Member of Parliament
Member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation since 2003. On April 2, 2017 was elected to parliament from the territorial electoral list of electoral district #13 of the ARF. Prior to that (2015-17) was the Director of the “Ijevan” branch of the “ArmForest” SNTO (State Non-trade Organization), Deputy Head of the Municipality of Ijevan (2011-15), a member of the Municipal Council of Ijevan (2009), and a credit specialist at “Ijevan” branch of Converse Bank (2008-10).
My Step Coalition - N4
"Happy Individual, Caring Society and Powerful State" (181 candidates)
1. Nikol Pashinyan - Acting Prime Minister of Armenia
A former journalist and editor, Nikol Pashinyan was an opposition politician and parliamentarian. Prior to becoming the editor of the newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak, he established his own paper Oragir in 1998, which was closed down by a court decision in 1999, allegedly for political reasons. He was sentenced on defamation charges against then Minister of National Security Serzh Sargsyan. A long-time supporter of Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Pashinyan was part of Ter-Petrosyan’s inner circle when the latter returned to politics in 2008 in a bid to win the presidential elections.
The results of those elections and ensuing protests led to the tragic events of March 1, when 10 people were killed after security forces cracked down on peaceful protesters. Pashinyan was charged with organizing mass disorder and went into hiding for several months. On July 1, 2009, he re-emerged and surrendered to law enforcement. He was subsequently sentenced to seven years imprisonment but later released in 2011 as part of a general amnesty. He was elected to parliament in 2012 by the proportional list of the Armenian National Congress Alliance. From 2012-13, he was the Chair of the parliament’s Ethics Committee. He founded the Civil Contract public-political association in 2013, which later became the Civil Contract Party. In April 2017, he was elected to parliament by the electoral list of the Yelq Bloc (comprised of Civil Contract, Bright Armenia and Republic Parties). From May 2017, he was the leader of the Yelq parliamentary faction. On March 31, 2018 he initiated and led the My Step movement from Gyumri, which resulted in the Velvet Revolution. Since May 8, 2018, he is the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
2. Ararat Mirzoyan - Acting Deputy Prime Minister
A historian, Mirzoyan was a lecturer at Yerevan State University; from 2012-13 was the coordinator of a program for informing voters at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES); Head of the research group of the “Aurora and 100 Lives” initiative of the IDEA Foundation (2013-15); Expert on political parties and strategic planning of the Netherlands Institute for Multi-Party Democracy (2014-17); Founding member of the Civil Contract party. April 2, 2017, elected to parliament from the territorial electoral list of the electoral district N3 of the Yelq Bloc.
3. Lena Nazaryan - Member of Parliament
She was a journalist at Hetq (2005-09); Journalist at the research center Region (2008-09); Coordinator of election programs of Transparency International Anti-corruption Center (2009-15); Coordinator of the American University of Armenia (AUA) Center for Responsible Mining’s Independent Environmental Monitoring of Mining Communities Project (2015-16); Member of Civil Contract since 2013; in April 2017 was elected to parliament from the national electoral list of the Yelq Bloc.
4. Tigran Avinyan - Acting Deputy Prime Minister
Founded Irrigate Company, engaged in the installation of irrigation systems and landscape design (2010-11); As SAP Systems Consultant at SHTE Company, he implemented installations for ContourGlobal LP (Vorotan HPP Cascade) from 2014-16; Founder and CEO of Cyber Vision software developing company (2014) that cooperates with American, British, Australian and Singapore companies; Elected to Yerevan Council of Elders in 2017 on the Yelq Bloc list; On May 11, 2018, appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
5. Arayik Harutyunyan - Acting Minister of Education and Science
Member of the Civil Contract Party since 2013; Member of the Board of HIMA since 2011.Together with a group of citizens concerned with the problems of the Armenian language, founded the “We are against foreign schools” civic initiative; member of the “Army in Reality” civic group; Member of Transparency International Anti-Corruption organization; 2007-10, was involved in youth initiatives on Armenian-Turkish reconciliation. On May 11, 2018, appointed Minister of Education and Science.
6. Alen Simonyan - Member of Parliament
Studied at the Faculty of Political Science at the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia (2013-15). Member of the Governing Council of the Civil Contract Party since 2013. First participated in Yerevan City Council elections on the Barev Yerevan Alliance ticket in 2011. One of the organizers of the “Car Free” civil protest against the rise in prices for public transportation (2013). Member of Civil Contract party board. Member of the Yerevan City Council with the Yelq Bloc in 2017.
7. Sasun Mikayelyan - Member of Parliament
First elected to parliament in 1995 on the Republic Party ticket from electoral district N75. He served his second term in parliament from 1999-2003, member of the Unity Faction; served on the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs. From 2003-07 was a member of parliament (electoral district N41); was not a member of any faction or parliamentary group. In May 2007, elected to another term in parliament from electoral district N25. Currently, a member of parliament from the Yelq Bloc (elected April 2017); Member of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly.
8. Lilit Makunts - Acting RA Minister of CultureLecturer at the Russian-Armenian University since 2005.Worked as a contract specialist in the American Peace Corps (since 2016). In February, 2018 became the head of the Russian-Armenian University’s Department of International Cooperation. Appointed as Minister of Culture on May 12, 2018.
9. Suren Papikyan - Acting Minister of Territorial Administration and Development
Yelq Bloc faction expert in the Yerevan City Council (2017); April 2, 2017, nominated as a candidate for parliamentary elections from the Yelq Bloc in constituency N9 in Lori Marz; Starting on March 31, 2018, with a group of activists, he initiated the My Step movement, which resulted in the Velvet Revolution in Armenia. Appointed as Minister of Territorial Administration and Development on May 11, 2018.
10. Zara Batoyan - Deputy Minister of Labor & Social Affairs
Elected to Yerevan City Council in 2017; longtime advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.
Bright Armenia Party - N5
"Brighten Armenia with knowledge, will and work" (152 candidates)
1. Edmon Marukyan - Member of Parliament
Lawyer and founder of the Bright Armenia party. From 2002-04 was the Head of the Law Department of the Media Public Organization NGO “Media Group.” From 2007-12, was a lawyer at Populeks LLC and Center for Protection and Promotion of Interests. Since 2002, is a Member of the International Network of Youth Movements for Human Rights. In 2005, Marukyan was a member of the public observation group carrying out monitoring in prisons. He is also the founding member of the International Organization Youth Network for Education of Human Rights and one of the founders of the Human Rights NGO Center for Strategic Proceedings.
From 2012-17, he was a Member of the National Assembly (electoral district N30), Member of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly, Member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly. In April 2, 2017 was elected to parliament from the national electoral list of the Yelq Bloc.
2. Mane Tandilyan
Tandilyan graduated from the faculty of history at the Armenian State Pedagogical University, and has a Masters of Business Administration from the American University of Armenia. She has worked as a chief accountant in several organizations including Hovnanian International, Mentor Graphics Development Services, was the Deputy Financial Director of Synopsis Armenia from 2009-17 and since 2016 is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). She was active in the “Dem Em” Movement in 2014 that sought to pass a new law privatizing the country’s pension system. In 2017, she was elected to Armenia’s parliament representing the Yelq Bloc. She is the Vice President of the Bright Armenia party.
3. Arman Babajanyan
Editor of the Zhamanak daily and founder, editor of Start Media Center (www.1in.am).
4. Gevorg Gorgisyan - Member of Parliament
Secretary of the Yelq Bloc. Since 2007, Gorgisyan worked as a programmer and site administrator in a number of companies including Armproject, Stream Tech, Altakod, and IAM Cloud. In 2015, he was a member of the coordinating group of the Bright Armenia initiative, and that same year was elected a member of the council of the Bright Armenia party. In April 2, 2017, he was elected to parliament from the territorial electoral list of the electoral district N2 of the Yelq Bloc.
5. Taron Simonyan
Lecturer at the French University of Armenia and Founding Partner, General Director of ELL Partnership Law Firm. From 2012-16 was the Director of International and Comparative Law Center.
6. Arkadi Khachatryan (non-partisan)
Lecturer at Yerevan State University since 2012. From 2003-15, worked at the Presidential administration as the Deputy Head of the Department of Economics, Deputy Head of the Department of Expertise and Analysis. Khachatryan is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Financial System Mediator (since 2016), and a board member at the Central Bank of Armenia and adviser to the President of the Central Bank (since 2015).
7. Ani Samsonyan - Member of Yerevan Council of Elders
Press Secretary of Bright Armenia and a member of Luys faction at Yerevan City Council. Prior to being elected to Yerevan City Council, Samsonyan worked as a researcher at the Hovhannes Sharambeyan Folk Art Center (2010-12), journalist at Armnews TV (2012-13), and a coordinator at HayNews Press Club (2013-14). She is the press secretary of Bright Armenia Party.
8. Harutyun Babayan
Founder and co-owner of VHH LLC. Since 2014, is involved in small and medium businesses as a marketing and logistics consultant for winemaking and canned food producing companies. From 2011-13, was the Director of Import, Logistics and Sales Department at Food Leader Company. From 2010-11, was the Head of Procurement and Logistics Department at Natfood Company.
9. Arman Eghiazaryan - Member of Vanadzor City Council
Co-founder and president of the Lori Young Economists’ Association NGO since 2009. From 2016, is a member of Vanadzor City Council, as part of the Bright Armenia Party. Since 2018, he is a board member of Bright Armenia as well as the chairman of the Lori regional council. From 2002-15, Eghiazaryan worked in several international grant projects, as a Project Manager and Project Coordinator. Since 2009, is the Head of Vanadzor Economic Development Center project within the framework of the “Cities’ Network South Caucasus” Vanadzor-Regen (GIZ) Cooperation.
10. Anna Kostanyan
From 2015-17, Kostanyan was the secretary of Bright Armenia Party and since 2017 is supervisor of the Party. She is also the Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator at Apricot Project since 2017. From 2005-14 worked as a translator in different companies.
Christian-Democrat Rebirth Party - N6
"Alternative, Yes - Opposition, No" (82 candidates)
1. Levon Shirinyan
Shirinyan is a political scientist and philosopher. From 1999-2000 worked at the Presidential administration as Senior Foreign Policy Officer. Since 2007 works at the Armenian State Pedagogical University as a lecturer at the Department of Political Science and History.
2. Mariam Manukyan
Manukyan is the founding director at GMG Media Group since 2009 and the founding director at the Council for International Business Relations Support. She is the author and organizer of annual festivals including “Countries under the Same Roof” and “Dream City.” Prior to that Manukyan was the Head of Advertising Department at ArmNews TV, a radio host at the Armenian Online Radio Stations, and Program Producer at Yerkir Media TV.
3. Gevorg Hovsepyan, 4. Hayk Sukiasyan, 5. Levon Tumanyan
National Progress Party - N7
"New Situation, New Solutions" (83 candidates)
1. Lusine Haroyan - sociologist, psychologist , 2. Samvel Melikyan - Lawyer
3. Aram Manukyan - Engineer, 4. Mane Babayan - Engineer,
5. Hrayr Aghinyan - Economist, 6. Hayk Paytyan - Historian, lecturer
7. Aghavni Ohanyan - Tourism Industry, 8. Vigen Movsisyan - Engineer
9. Vardan Arakelyan - Programmer, 10. Hasmik Aghinyan - Doctor
Menq Alliance (Republic and Free Democrats Parties) - N8
"Armenia First" (132 candidates)
1. Aram Sargsyan (Republic Party) - Member of Parliament
Founder of the Republic party. From 1999-2000, he was the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia. In 1994 he was a member of the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union. From 2003-07 was a Member of the National Assembly (proportional electoral system, “Justice” alliance), Member of the Standing Committee on Financial-Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs of the National Assembly and Member of the “Justice” faction. In 2012 was elected to parliament by a proportional electoral system of the Armenian National Congress, but he refused the mandate. In April 2, 2017, was elected to parliament from the national electoral list of the Yelq Bloc.
2. Khachatur Qoqobelyan (Free Democrats Party)
Qoqobelyan is an Armenian politician and founder of the Free Democrats Party. From 2007-12 was a member of parliament. From 2002-10 was the deputy chairman of the board of the Pan-Armenian National Movement Party.
3. Angela Khachatryan (Free Democrats Party)
Khachatryan is the Deputy Chair of Free Democrats Party. In April 2017 parliamentary elections she was nominated in the party’s national electoral list.
4. Artak Zeynalyan (Republic Party) - Minister of Justice
Zeynalyan is the current Minister of Justice. He was elected to Armenia’s parliament in 2017 on the Yelq Bloc ticket, representing the Republic Party. Zeynalyan graduated from Yerevan State Medical University and did his residency at the National Institute of Health in 1999. He later studied at the Academy of Management and in 2006 graduated from the Law Faculty of the Gladzor Management University. From 1998-2001, he served as Armenia’s Deputy Minister of Health, he has headed the Committees for Humanitarian Aid adjunct to the Government of Armenia: the Republican Committee on Health and the Republican Committee for the reassessment of medical supplies received by humanitarian means. For many years, Zeynalyan was a human rights defender: member of the Human Rights NGO Tanik (Roof), member of the Public Council for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, member of the Human Rights NGO Lawyers Against Torture, Chairman-founder of the Human Rights NGO Rule of Law. He is a founding member of the Yerkrapah Union of Volunteers and a founding member of the Republic Party. Zeynalyan volunteered in the Artsakh Liberation War with the Nikol Duman Yegrapah division. He was wounded in 1992 and lost a leg.
5. Boris Nazaryan (non-partisan)
Nazaryan is a lawyer and a former Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia (1999-2001). From 2001-05 was the Advisor to the RA Prime Minister. He also worked as the Prosecutor of Ararat region from 1996-99.
6. Masis Ayvazyan (Free Democrats Party)
Masis Ayvazyan is the Executive Secretary of the Free Democrats Party, and a former political prisoner in relation to the March 1, 2008 events. Participated in the 2012 parliamentary elections as part of the proportional list of Heritage Party.
7. Anahit Adamyan (Non-partisan)
8. Sona Minasyan (Free Democrats Party)
Minasyan is the spokesperson of Free Democrats Party.
9. Ara Ketikyan (Republic Party)
Ketikyan has been working at the Yerkrapah Volunteer Union since 1994 and is currently the Deputy Chairman of the Union. From 1999-2003 was a Deputy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. In 2013 and 2017 was elected as a member of the Yerevan Council of Elders by the proportional electoral list of the Republican Party of Armenia.
10. Armen Arakelyan (Free Democrats Party)
Arakelyan is an engineer and a member of the Free Democrats Party. He ran in the April 2017 parliamentary elections from national electoral lisy, but was not elected.
Country of Law Party (Orinats Yerkir) - N9
"Legitimacy, justice and security" (130 candidates)
1. Artur Baghdasaryan
Head of the Country of Law party since 1998. In March 1998, he was elected the Chairman of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly of Armenia. On May 30, 1999 he was elected Deputy of the National Assembly from the Shengavit Electoral District N21, and in September 1999 was the Head of the Country of Law Faction in parliament. In 2000, Baghdasaryan was chosen as the Chairman of the Board of the French University of Armenia, and in 2002 of the European Regional Academy in the Caucuses.
From 2001-03, he was a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly. From 2003-07 he was a deputy in the NA (proportional system). From 2003-06 he was the Chairman of the National Assembly. On May 12, 2007, he was elected to parliament by the proportional system from the Country of Law Party. On May 4, 2008 by the decree of the President of the Republic of Armenia he was appointed Secretary of the National Security Council at the RA President's Office.
2. Heghine Bisharyan
From 2003-07 was the Deputy of the National Assembly (proportional system, Country of Law party), member of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Affairs of the National Assembly, and secretary of the Orinats Yerkir faction. From 2005-06 she was a teacher at the Yerevan State College after Bakunts. In 2010, was an academician at the International Academy of Sciences of Nature and Society (Armenian branch). From 2007-12, served as a member of parliament from the proportional electoral system of the Country of Law party; member of the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. From 2010-12 she was a member of the Standing Committee on European Integration of the National Assembly. In 2012, was elected to parliament by the proportional system from Country of Law.
3. Mher Shahgeldyan
From 2000-02 he was Vice President of the French University in Armenia and from 2000-11 was a lecturer at the French University. From 2008-10, he was the Minister of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Armenia. From 2002-03 was a Member of the Standing committee of State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly. From 2003-07 he was a Deputy of the National Assembly, Chair of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs of the National Assembly, then member of the same committee, Deputy Chair of the Ad-hoc Committee on Matters of Integration in European Structures of the National Assembly, Head of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Co-Chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie Delegation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia. From 2007-08 was a Deputy of the National Assembly, member of the Standing Committee on European integration issues, Member of Armenia-European Union Parliamentary Cooperation inter-Parliamentary Committee, Member of National Assembly Delegation to PACE. From 2012-16 he was a Deputy of the National Assembly and Vice-President of Country of Law Party.
4. Ishkhan Khachatryan
In 2003, Khachatryan was elected to Vedi City Council of Elders. Between 2004-08 he worked at Vedi Municipality, where he occupied different posts. On May 8, 2008 he was elected a deputy to the National Assembly through the proportional electoral system from the Country of Law party. He is a member of the political board of the Country of Law.
5. Hayk Hovhannisyan
6. Karen Davtyan
Rule of Law (Orinats Yerkir, or OEK) party's Lori regional branch secretary Karen Davtyan
7. Simon Hakobyan
8. Marine Kocharyan
She is the principal of School No.186 of Yerevan, since 2005 she has been a member of the Country of Law party, since 2012 she has been the chairman of the Women’s Union of Country of Law.
9. Hasmik Eghiazaryan
10. Vahe Vardapetyan
Sasna Tsrer - N10
"It’s Time" (171 candidates)
1. Varuzhan Avetisyan
Avetisyan is a lawyer and since 1994 worked at the Ministry of Defense as a military investigator and head of the Foreign Affairs and Military Cooperation Division. On July 2016, Avetisyan was part of the armed group that seized a police building in Armenia, demanding the release of political prisoners (including opposition leader Jirair Sefilyan) and the resignation of the president Serzh Sargsyan. Avetisyan was one of the key negotiators with the authorities of that time. He was charged with taking hostages, illegally obtaining ammunition and explosive materials, and organizing mass disorders which left two officers dead. On August 17 of this year, Avetisyan was released from custody under the guarantees of a group of MPs from the Tsarukyan faction.
2. Stepan Grigoryan
Stepan Grigoryan is currently Chairman of the Board of the Yerevan-based Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC). From 1998-2000 he was the Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia; 1996-99 Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia in the Collective Security Agreement of CIS; 1995-98 Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Representative of Armenia in the Russian Federation; Member of the Armenian Parliament (1990-95). Holds diplomatic class of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Minister.
3. Garegin Chugaszyan
Chugaszyan is the Chairman of the “Founding Parliament” and has experience in public sector, civil society, business and academic fields. He is the co-founder and executive director of the “Information Technology Education” company.
4. Hermine Mkrtchyan - Journalist
5. Gevorg Safaryan - Engineer
6. Ara Komshuyan - Economist
7. Petros Makeyan
Makeyan is a former political prisoner, politician, and the chairman of the Democratic Homeland Party since 1997. In 1995 was elected to the National Assembly as part of the “Republic” faction and was a member of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs He was a member of the ANM board. Makeyan is also a member of the Armenian National Congress.
8. Kara Chobanyan
Chobanyan worked at the Yerevan State University, Armenian State Pedagogical University named after Khachatur Abovyan, and at the Armenian branch of the Russian State University of Tourism and Services Studies. Since 2006 has been working as a translator and in the tourism sector. Chobanyan is the author of more that 20 stories and essays and since 2013 is a member of the Writers’ Union of Armenia.
9. Areg Kyureghyan - Real Estate Management
10. Arayik Papikyan - Lawyer
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) - N11
“Our words turn to action,” “Believe, trust and demand,” “The road to the dream”
(166 candidates)
1. Gagik Tsarukyan - MP, Leader of PAP
Former arm-wrestling world champion and business tycoon, Tsarukyan founded the Prosperous Armenia Party in 2007. That year, the party participated in parliamentary elections garnering just over 15 percent of the vote. After a scathing personal attack by then President Serzh Sargsyan and other Republican Party members, Tsarukyan withdrew from politics in February 2015.
He announced his return to politics two years later and during the April 2017 parliamentary elections took part as the Tsarukyan Alliance receiving over 27 percent of the national vote.Tsarukyan’s holding company, Multi Group Concern founded in 1995 includes over 40 businesses. He established the Gagik Tsarukyan Charity Foundation which supports church construction, youth initiatives, community development, etc. He is an avid athlete, becoming world champion in arm-wrestling in 1996 and European champion in 1998. He is the president of the National Olympic Committee of Armenia.
2. Mikayel Melkumyan - Deputy Speaker of Parliament
An economist, Melkumyan was first elected to parliament in 2012; has served on a number of parliamentary committees include the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs; Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly. Member of the Prosperous Armenia Party. On April 2, 2017, elected Member of Parliament on the national electoral list of the Tsarukyan Alliance. On May 19, 2017, elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
3. Artur Grigoryan
A lawyer, Grigoryan served as Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources under Pashinyan’s new government (appointed in May/18) later booted out by PM Pashinyan (Oct. 3, 2018); Lieutenant Colonel of Justice; 2010-12, served as Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.
4. Naira Zohrabyan - Member of Parliament
Former journalist for Haykakan Zhamanak. First elected to parliament in 2007; served on a number of parliamentary committees; June 2008-September 2009 was a member of the Ad-hoc Committee on the Events of March 1-2, 2008. From 2009-12 chaired the Standing Committee on European Integration. Elected as a member of parliament in 2012 by the proportional electoral list of the Prosperous Armenia Party. Chair of the Standing Committee on European Integration of the National Assembly; 2012-15 was the Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia faction; March 3, 2015 - Head of the PAP faction. April 2, 2017, elected as a member of parliament from the national electoral list of the Tsarukyan Alliance.
5. Arman Abovyan
Political columnist. Ran in the 2018 Yerevan City Council elections on the Prosperous Armenia Party ticket.
6. Gevorg Petrosyan - Member of Parliament
Member of Prosperous Armenia Party since 2006. Member of the Union of Lawyers since 1998; from 2008-15 was a member of the Qualification Commission adjunct to the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia. In April 2017 was elected to parliament from the territorial electoral list of electoral district N1 for the Tsarukyan Alliance.
7. Vahe Enfiajyan - Member of Parliament
Member of the Political Council of the Prosperous Armenia Party since 2006. Head of the Youth Unity of PAP. Has served as adviser to the leader of PAP. Elected a member of the National Assembly in 2009. Served on the Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, was Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Environment. In 2012, elected Member of the National Assembly by the proportional electoral system from the PAP. Served as Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee on European Integration and as a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly. In April 2017, re-elected as a Member of Parliament on the national electoral list of the Tsarukyan Alliance.
8. Iveta Tonoyan - Member of Parliament
A journalist, Tonoyan was elected to parliament in April 2017 from the national electoral list of the Tsarukyan Alliance. She served as the director of Kentron TV from 2012-17 and also as Gagik Tsarukyan’s press secretary. She was the Director of the Gagik Tsarukyan Charitable Fund from 2015-17.
9. Sergey Bagratyan - Member of Parliament
Served as governor of the Vayots Dzor marz from 2010-12. Has been a lecturer at the Yerevan Economic and Law University of Armenia since 1996 and coordinator of the Vayots Dzor Council of Prosperous Armenia Party since 2007. Elected to parliament in April 2017 from the national electoral list of the Tsarukyan Alliance.
10. Tigran Urikhanyan - Member of Parliament
From 2011-15 was a member of the Political Council of the Prosperous Armenia Party. Elected to parliament in 2012 from the proportional electoral system for Prosperous Armenia. Member of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly. Member of the Prosperous Armenia faction. Re-elected to parliament in April 2017 from the national electoral list of the Tsarukyan Alliance.
