2013 Yerevan City Council election

Armenian election from 2013 2013 Yerevan City Council election Armenia parliamentary Popular no 2009 Yerevan City Council election 2009 2013 05 05 Yerevan City Council election, 2017 2017 53.53% 118px Taron Margaryan Republican Party of Armenia 47.43%, 35 seats 42 7 235,512 55.89% 8.46% 2013 Yerevan City Council election results.png 230px Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan Republican Party of Armenia Taron Margaryan Republican Party of Armenia 118px Vartan Oskanian Prosperous Armenia 22.65%, 17 seats 17 97,189 23.07% 0.42% 110px Armen Martirosyan Barev Yerevan did not participate 6 6 35,732 8.48% New Yerevan City Council election was held on May 5, 2013. The Republican Party of Armenia won 56% of the total vote, Prosperous Armenia had 23%, while Barev Yerevan won over 8%. The opposition parties and the local observers denounced the elections as "unfair". Background The first Yerevan City Council election was held on 31 May 2009. The Republican Party of Armenia, which has been the ruling party in Armenia since 1999 won a majority in the legislature of Armenia's capital. A disputed presidential election was held in Armenia on 18 February 2013. Since 19 February, Raffi Hovannisian, the runner-up of the election from the Heritage party claimed victory due to alleged electoral fraud that took place the day before. On 10 March 2013, after weeks of mass protests, Hovannisian announced about his decision to start a hunger strike calling incumbent and officially elected President Serzh Sargsyan to resign before 9 April, the inauguration day and find a "solution of this unprecedented pan-national fundamental issue before April 9."He Says, He Says: Sargsyan-Hovannisian exchange messages through media as standoff continues http://www.armenianow.com/vote_2013/44561/armvote13_raffi_hovannisian_serzh_sargsyan_exchange_messages 19 March 2013 19 March 2013 ArmeniaNow On 15 March 2013, Hovannisian talking about his future plans while on hunger strike in the Freedom Square, stated that "Heritage Party will present its list next week: a man of the people will be the mayor of Yerevan. Yerevan will be returned to the people." As the election day came closer, tensions between two former coalition members, PAP and RPA, grew, particularly on "young wings" level. A similar situation was witnessed prior to the 2012 parliamentary election.Showdown: PAP-RPA trade barbs ahead of capital election http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45012/pap_rpa_vartan_oskanian_mayor_elections 5 April 2013 ArmeniaNow 4 April 2013 Parties Seven parties were registered:The nominated political parties, party alliance of the elections of the Yerevan Council of Alderman http://www.elections.am/kus2013/ Central Electoral Commission of Armenia 29 March 2013 Republican Party of Armenia — Taron MargaryanYerevan Council Vote: Parties submit candidates ahead of May 5 municipal election http://armenianow.com/news/politics/44594/yerevan_municipal_council_vartan_oskanian_raffi_hovannisian_serzh_sargsyan_taron_margaryan 21 March 2013 20 March 2013 ArmeniaNow Barev Yerevan (Hello Yerevan)— Armen Martirosyan (from Heritage)Heritage presents 64-member party list for Yerevan elections http://news.am/eng/news/145497.html 21 March 2013 21 March 2013 News.am Armenian National Congress — Vahagn KhachatryanArmenian National Congress submits party list for Yerevan council elections http://news.am/eng/news/145496.html 21 March 2013 21 March 2013 News.am Prosperous Armenia — Vartan Oskanian Armenian Revolutionary Federation — Armen Rustamyan Rule of Law — Armen Yeritsyan Mission Party — Mesrop Arakelyan Campaign The election campaign started on 7 April 2013.Yerevan city council election campaign kicks off http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/153168/Yerevan_city_council_election_campaign_kicks_off 7 April 2013 7 April 2013 PanARMENIAN.Net Raffi Hovannisian who disputes the 18 February presidential election and planned to hold an unofficial inauguration at the same time as officially elected President Serzh Sargsyan on 9 April, joined Barev Yerevan alliance's first-day campaign with tree planting in central Yerevan. Barev Yerevan is made up of mostly his Heritage party members and activists, in addition to a few members from the Democratic Way Party.Barev Yerevan alliance starts its campaign with tree planting http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/04/07/yerevan-campaign/ 7 April 2013 Tert.am 7 April 2013 29 July 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130729191715/http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/04/07/yerevan-campaign/ dead All opposition parties including Heritage, ANC, ARF and Prosperous Armenia denounced the voting lists, claiming that the Republican Party registers people from outside of Yerevan.Stepanian Ruzanna Opposition Claims Voter Registration Fraud In Yerevan http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/24972135.html 30 April 2013 29 April 2013 Radio Free Europe/Radio LibertyYerevan Vote 2013: Opposition charges inflated voter list as May 5 approaches http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45713/yerevan_elections_voter_lists 30 April 2013 ArmeniaNow 30 April 2013 The ANC representatives claimed that the "Republicans, using their levers of state power, in this case the passport and visa department, are engaged in voter list trickery."Yerevan Elections: Third week of campaigning brings more of the same pledges for Armenian capital http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45623/armenia_yerevan_municipal_elections_parties 30 April 2013 ArmeniaNow 26 April 2013 On April 22, 2013, several ANC youth members were beaten up in Ajapnyak.Municipal Vote: Attacks against opposition activist, journalist disturb mostly calm election campaign in Yerevan http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45605/yerevan_election_taron_margaryan_campaign_journalist_attacks 30 April 2013 ArmeniaNow 25 April 2013 Election and oversight According to the Central Election Commission, over 1,700 observers (local and international) were registered for monitoring the election.CEC: More than 1,700 observers to monitor Yerevan elections http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45390/armenia_yerevan_elections_observers_cec 2 May 2013 ArmeniaNow 17 April 2013 For the first time, over 100 diaspora Armenians will be observing the elections.Armenia-Diaspora Election Monitoring Mission: First of its Kind http://asbarez.com/109806/armenia-diaspora-election-monitoring-mission-first-of-its-kind/ 5 May 2013 Asbarez 4 May 2013 "Under the election law that pertains to the Yerevan municipal vote, a political party, or a bloc of parties, that manages to receive more than 40 percent of the vote will automatically have its top candidate installed as mayor. If neither party or bloc can get that majority, the decision will be collectively upon the newly elected Council of Elders."Yerevan Vote 2013: Opposition groups see no chance of RPA winning Sunday polls http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45740/armenia_yerevan_elections_opposition_mayor 2 May 2013 ArmeniaNow 2 May 2013 Results Summary of the 5 May 2013 Yerevan City Council election results |-style="background:#E9E9E9;" |colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | Party | style="text-align:center;" | Votes | style="text-align:center;" | % | style="text-align:center;" | Seats | style="text-align:center;" | +/– |- | Republican Party of Armenia | style="text-align:center;" | 235,512 | style="text-align:center;" | 55.89% | style="text-align:center;" | 42 | style="text-align:left;" | 7 |- | Prosperous Armenia | style="text-align:center;" | 97,189 | style="text-align:center;" | 23.07% | style="text-align:center;" | 17 | style="text-align:left;" | 0 |- | Barev Yerevan | style="text-align:center;" | 35,732 | style="text-align:center;" | 8.48% | style="text-align:center;" | 6 | style="text-align:left;" | 6 |- | Armenian National Congress | style="text-align:center;" | 18,499 | style="text-align:center;" | 4.39% | style="text-align:center;" | 0 | style="text-align:left;" | 13 |- | Armenian Revolutionary Federation | style="text-align:center;" | 15,999 | style="text-align:center;" | 3.80% | style="text-align:center;" | 0 | style="text-align:left;" | 0 |- | Rule of Law (Armenia) | style="text-align:center;" | 15,733 | style="text-align:center;" | 3.73% | style="text-align:center;" | 0 | style="text-align:left;" | 0 |- | Mission Party (Armenia) | style="text-align:center;" | 2,692 | style="text-align:center;" | 0.64% | style="text-align:center;" | 0 | style="text-align:left;" | 0 |- |- | colspan=2 | Invalid votes | style="text-align:center;" | 15,250 | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — |- ! colspan=2 | Total | style="text-align:center;" | 437,212 | style="text-align:center;" | 100.00% | style="text-align:center;" | 65 | style="text-align:center;" | — |- ! colspan=2 | Electorate and turnout: | style="text-align:center;" | 816,478 | style="text-align:center;" | 53.53% | style="text-align:center;" | — | style="text-align:center;" | — |- | style="text-align:left;" colspan=6 |Source: Central Electoral Commission of Armenia |} Claims of violations and irregularities According to the Armenian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, "groups of pro-government youths standing in or outside polling stations, keeping a watchful eye on voters and clearly influencing the process have been a fixture in Armenian elections."'Neighborhood Guys' Define Another Armenian Election http://www.armenialiberty.org/content/article/24977527.html 6 May 2013 6 May 2013 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Throughout the election day, the opposition parties accused the ruling Republican party for alleged electoral violations.Elections Fraught with Allegations of Corruption http://hetq.am/eng/news/26239/elections-fraught-with-allegations-of-corruption.html 6 May 2013 Hetq Online 5 May 2013 Most local observation mission also stated the elections were not fair.Local Observers Slam 'Disgraceful' Vote http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24978479.html 6 May 2013 6 May 2013 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Reaction Domestic The results of the election were denounced by the main opposition parties.Yerevan Vote Reactions: Opposition parties decry municipal vote violations; ruling party takes landslide for granted http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45891/armenia_yerevan_council_of_elders_elections_fallout 6 May 2013 ArmeniaNow 6 May 2013 Barev Yerevan: Raffi Hovannisian stated on 9 May 2013 that everybody was defeated on 5 May election to the Yerevan city council. Armenian National Congress: ANC leader and Armenia's former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan stated the election was marred with "disgraceful irregularities". The ANC statement said the election was "another crime by the ruling regime against democracy and the people of Armenia."Ruling Party Wins Big In Disputed Yerevan Vote http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24977533.html 6 May 2013 6 May 2013 Radio Free Europe/Radio LibertyOpposition party slams 'regime' over another electoral 'crime' http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45874/armenia_yerevan_council_of_elders_elections_armenian_national_congress 6 May 2013 ArmeniaNow 6 May 2013 Prosperous Armenia: PPA thanked everyone who voted for them and claimed that the "electoral mechanisms" should change in Armenia.hy:ԲՀԿ. Ընտրական մեխանիզմը կարիք ունի հիմնովին վերափոխման http://www.azatutyun.am/content/article/24978467.html 6 May 2013 6 May 2013 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty hy «Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» Ռադիոկայան ռ/կ Ազատություն Rule of Law: RoL, which is the junior partner of the Republican Party in the government coalition, congratulated the RPA, PPA and Barev Yerevan for winning seats to the city council.Orinats Yerkir congratulates City Council election winners, signals violations http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45895/armenia_yerevan_may5_elections_orinats_yerkir 6 May 2013 ArmeniaNow 6 May 2013 International The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Election Observation Mission, the only international observation mission, led by Stewart Dickson stated that the "secrecy of ballot was respected in great part."Yerevan Vote 2013: Int'l observers give Sunday elections mostly positive assessment http://www.armenianow.com/news/politics/45899/armenia_yerevan_may5_council_of_elders_elections_international_observers 6 May 2013 ArmeniaNow 6 May 2013 References 30em Yerevan City Council election 2013 Yerevan City Council Category:2013 elections in Europe Category:City council elections Category:May 2013 in Europe Category:21st century in Yerevan