Politics and Society in Armenia since Independence.

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Politics and Society in Armenia since
Independence.
Konrad Adenauer Foundation Ilia Chavchavadze
State University

• Gudauri, Georgia
• September 21-23 2007

Ghazaryan Gayane, Yerevan State University
Galyan Artak, Yerevan State Linguistic
University http//www.yeritac-am.org
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Content

• Creation of a democratic society as a priority of
  the Armenian Statehood
• The real picture of elections and post-electoral
  behavior of the society brief overview.
• The changes in the perceptions of the ways of
  will-expression of the society. (Conclusion)

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The creation of a democratic society as a
priority of the Armenian Statehood

• The declaration of independence puts forth the
  question of the creation of the democratic
  society.
• The RA is a sovereign, democratic, welfare, rule
  of law state.
• The bearer of the Armenian statehood is the
  people of the Republic of Armenia, which
  exercises the authority through free and fair
  elections and referendums.

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The real picture of elections and post-electoral
behavior of the society brief overview.

• 1991. Presidential elections.
• General elections are held for the first time and
  the winner is the candidate supported by the
  majority of the society.
• 1996. Presidential elections.
• The first president is reelected with
  falsifications. Social protests and
  demonstrations are suppressed by the regime.
• 1998. Presidential elections.
• The elections wins the protégé of the former
  president. The passive acts of protest are
  suppressed by the regime.

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The real picture of elections and post-electoral
behavior of the society brief overview.

• 2003. Presidential elections.
• The acting president holds the office with
  falsifications. Active protests are suppressed
  with force by the regime.
• 2005. The Constitutional Referendum.
• The amendments are passed with falsifications.
  Small-scale short-term protests die away quickly.
• 2007. Parliamentary elections.
• A few very small-scale protests follow the
  electoral falsifications

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The changes in the perceptions of the ways of
will-expression of the society. (Conclusion).

• By inertia of Karabakh Movement the society is
  extremely active during the first years of
  independence accepting the importance and its
  ability to influence the state policy.

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The changes in the perceptions of the ways of
will-expression of the society. (Conclusion).

• The real background of election-running and the
  repressions of the social protests following the
  falsifications result in a gradual decline in the
  degree of social participation and activity
  bringing to indifference and a fall in protesting
  ability.

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The changes in the perceptions of the ways of
will-expression of the society. (Conclusion).

• Elections stop being perceived by the society as
  a real mechanism of influencing the state policy
  and decision-making. In addition, one of the
  fundamental principles of democracy, i.e. the
  possibility of will-expression through
  mass-meetings and acts of protest, and the former
  confidence (as well as experience) of the society
  in this possibility is eliminated.

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