YEREVAN—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council of Armenia, which fielded its own slate of candidate for Sunday’s Yerevan municipal elections, on Monday said the city council vote was democratic.
“The Yerevan City Council elections took place is a fair and free environment and it was the unwavering expression of the will of the citizens who participated [in the election], said an announcement issued by the ARF Supreme Council of Armenia.
“By accepting the results and congratulating the ‘My Step’ alliance on it victory, we express our readiness to assist in the task of realizing the Yerevan of our dreams,” added the ARF’s statement.
Similar sentiments were expressed Sunday by Davit Hakpyan, one of the ARF’s candidates, who told reporters that “we have to conclude that these were free and fair elections and we hope that after these elections a new kind of electoral struggle will take root in Armenia.” He said the ARF hopes to see “real reforms” implemented in the Armenia.
During Sunday’s elections, the ARF garnered 5,882 votes or 1.62 percent.
“The new political realities stemming from the popular movement had an impact on the Yerevan City Council elections both during the campaign and in the results,” explained the ARF Supreme Council of Armenia statement. “Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s personal popularity and his direct participation in the campaign played a decisive role and effectively predetermined the outcome of the September 23 special elections for Yerevan City Council.”
There are bigger things for them to worry about. The ARF received 1.62% of the votes!
I think that number is based on voter perception and not based on reality and there are reasons for that. I think the ARF has always been viewed as an “outsider” or Diasporan organization in Armenia for seven decades of Soviet occupation of Armenia and the political brainwashing of the Armenian population there. It was also considered illegal in those years for obvious reasons and that’s because they promoted Armenian nationalism which was contrary to Soviet mentality. They were absent in the political life of Armenia for seven decades up until Armenia regained its independence when the Soviet Union collapsed. The organization’s headquarters were forced to shut down, considered illegal, and several of its members jailed during the first Armenian president post-Soviet era. The second president reinstated the organization’s legality. During the third president’s reign under the republican party leadership, probably viewed by the population as the most corrupt and the least popular, the organization was viewed as their collaborator when in fact I believe they were there to watch over them rather than collaborating with them. So based on misconception and brainwashing I’m not surprised they got as few votes as they did. I think if the Armenian Diaspora could also vote they would get the majority of the votes.
There is nothing more or bigger things to worry about than Nationalism and Armenian Socialism. Everything thing else is secondary, learn a little.