Armenia’s election: The status quo wins at the expense of democracy

Armine Ishkanian

 

After a quarter of a century of ‘transitioning’ to democracy, Armenia remains at best a partly free ‘managed’ democracy and at worst a semi-consolidated authoritarian regime. The country has high levels of poverty and inequality (over 30% of Armenians live under the poverty line, with 47% of those aged 15 and above being unemployed) and the discontent with the status quo has led to continual emigration since the early 1990s and mass protests over recent years.

In the immediate aftermath of the election on 2 April, in which the ruling Republican (Hanrapetakan) Party of Armenia, received nearly 50% of the vote, questions have been raised as to why, despite growing discontent with the political and socio-economic status quo, including the unresolved conflict in Nagorno Karabakh, so many Armenian citizens appear to have given their support to the ruling party?

Ronald Suny: “Don’t mistake the present for the future”

Political scientist and historian Ronald Suny recently was the keynote speaker at the annual conference on human rights and freedom expression, held at Boğaziçi University of Istanbul in memory of Hrant Dink. His presentation was entitled "The Crisis of Contemporary Democracy”. Agos weekly talked to Suny about this crisis in terms of Turkey and the world, and its relation to populism. 

Use of Brutal Force Against Citizens Will Not Solve Armenia’s Problems

Ara Khachatourian

As a standoff continues after a group calling itself the “Daredevils of Sasoun” seized a police station in Yerevan on Sunday, July 17, 2016, an appalling reality is taking shape across the city, which warrants addressing because it goes counter to any resolution that might be on the horizon for the crisis at hand. It can be said that the situation stems from the public’s desperation and exacerbation of the current socio-economic situation in Armenia.