Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, 2010
Encyclopedia
A parliamentary election was held in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
on 23 May 2010.
in 1991. A conflict
took place between 1988 and 1994 which resulted in Nagorno-Karabakh, with Armenia
n support, becoming de facto
independent from Azerbaijan. However it has not been internationally recognised and Azerbaijan still claims the area as part of its state.
Several changes to the election process were made since the previous election in 2005. Whereas previously, 22 of the parliament's 33 seats were filled using party-list proportional representation
and 11 using first-past-the-post
, the distribution for these elections is 17-16. Another change concerns the lowering of the election threshold
from 10% to 6% (for political parties) and from 15% to 8% (for electoral blocs
).
A total of 94,900 voters are registered for the election, about 66% of the total population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
(FM), led by Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan
, the Democratic Party of Artsakh
(DPA), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARM) and the Communist Party of Artsakh (CPA). Of these parties, only the communists did not support president Bako Sahakyan
in the 2007 election
. 44 More candidates stand for election in the 16 FPTP constituencies.
At the morning of 25 May, after counting of all votes, Free Motherland was at 46,4%, The DPA was at 28,6%, and the ARF was at 20,2%. The Communist Party was at 4,8% and did not get into parliament in the party-list proportional representation.
Various international organisations and countries issued statements refusing to recognise the 2010 elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, among them the OSCE, the European Union
, the United Kingdom
, France
, Iran
, Russia
, Turkey
, Greece
, Georgia
, Lithuania
, and Romania
.
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic , or Artsakh Republic is a de facto independent republic located in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia...
on 23 May 2010.
Background
Nagorno-Karabakh declared its independence from AzerbaijanAzerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
in 1991. A conflict
Nagorno-Karabakh War
The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the majority ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia, and the Republic of Azerbaijan...
took place between 1988 and 1994 which resulted in Nagorno-Karabakh, with Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
n support, becoming de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
independent from Azerbaijan. However it has not been internationally recognised and Azerbaijan still claims the area as part of its state.
Several changes to the election process were made since the previous election in 2005. Whereas previously, 22 of the parliament's 33 seats were filled using party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation
Party-list proportional representation systems are a family of voting systems emphasizing proportional representation in elections in which multiple candidates are elected...
and 11 using first-past-the-post
First-past-the-post
First-past-the-post voting refers to an election won by the candidate with the most votes. The winning potato candidate does not necessarily receive an absolute majority of all votes cast.-Overview:...
, the distribution for these elections is 17-16. Another change concerns the lowering of the election threshold
Election threshold
In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...
from 10% to 6% (for political parties) and from 15% to 8% (for electoral blocs
Electoral alliance
An electoral alliance may take the form of a bipartisan electoral agreement, electoral agreement, electoral coalition or electoral bloc. It is an association of political parties or individuals which exists solely to stand in elections...
).
A total of 94,900 voters are registered for the election, about 66% of the total population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Contesting parties
Before the elections, it became clear very few opposition parties would contest. Four parties contesting the 17 list-based seats are registered: Free MotherlandFree Motherland
The Free Motherland is a political party in Nagorno-Karabakh .Free Motherland received 10 out of 33 seats in the 19 June 2005 elections....
(FM), led by Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan
Arayik Harutyunyan
Arayik Vladimirovich Harutyunyan is the current Prime Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. He was suggested by the President of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan and was unanimously approved by the Parliament of Karabakh on 14 September 2007, by 32 out of 32 present parliamentarians.-In...
, the Democratic Party of Artsakh
Democratic Party of Artsakh
The Democratic Party of Artsakh is the ruling political party in Nagorno-Karabakh .The Democratic Party received 12 out of 33 seats in the 19 June 2005 elections....
(DPA), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian...
(ARM) and the Communist Party of Artsakh (CPA). Of these parties, only the communists did not support president Bako Sahakyan
Bako Sahakyan
Bako Sahakyan was the former security chief of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and currently the fourth president of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic...
in the 2007 election
Nagorno-Karabakh presidential election, 2007
The third presidential election in the unrecognized country of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic was held on 19 July 2007. The incumbent Arkady Ghukasyan was constitutionally barred from seeking a third term and had endorsed Bako Sahakyan, who was the head of the National Security Service...
. 44 More candidates stand for election in the 16 FPTP constituencies.
Opinion polls
| Date of poll | Institute | FM Free Motherland The Free Motherland is a political party in Nagorno-Karabakh .Free Motherland received 10 out of 33 seats in the 19 June 2005 elections.... |
DPA Democratic Party of Artsakh The Democratic Party of Artsakh is the ruling political party in Nagorno-Karabakh .The Democratic Party received 12 out of 33 seats in the 19 June 2005 elections.... |
ARF Armenian Revolutionary Federation The Armenian Revolutionary Federation is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian... |
CPA | Independents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2010 | Sociometer Center | 13 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
Results
With about 50% of the votes counted, Free Motherland led the count with 45.8% of the votes. The DPA was at 30.7% and the ARF at 18.2%. The CP was below the electoral threshold of 6% (5.34%), which means it might be difficult for them to get a seat.At the morning of 25 May, after counting of all votes, Free Motherland was at 46,4%, The DPA was at 28,6%, and the ARF was at 20,2%. The Communist Party was at 4,8% and did not get into parliament in the party-list proportional representation.
Reaction
About 120 international observers from France, Russia, USA, Italy, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Argentina, Ireland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Iran, Netherlands, Canada, Slovakia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transnistria, and others, as well as a big group of observers from Armenia observed the elections. Later the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast stated that Iran had not delegated any observers. Azerbaijan made a black list of the international observers who visited Nagorno-Karabakh and declared them personae non-gratae.Various international organisations and countries issued statements refusing to recognise the 2010 elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, among them the OSCE, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
, Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
.