Opposition in Armenia demands PM's resignation

The opposition Armenia bloc has called for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan following deadly clashes on a stretch of the un-demarcated Armenian-Azerbaijani border on 16 November.

The Armenia bloc, which has the second-largest faction in the Armenian parliament, accused Pashinyan's government of "bringing deaths, territorial losses, split, and chaos" and said that “his resignation is the only way to overcome the existing situation,” on 16 November.

"Nikol Pashinyan's power has brought and is bringing deaths, territorial losses, split and chaos. The full solution to the situation will be the removal of these authorities. The resignation of Nikol Pashinyan should be followed by the formation of a new government and the ensuring of a policy for settling domestic issues through consolidation of all competent forces," the statement flagged.

It blamed Azerbaijan for "launching a large-scale attack" on the Armenia border and said that "the consolidation of the whole nation" is required "to stop the advancement of the enemy and expel it from Armenia's sovereign territory."

Similar calls demanding Pashinyan's resignation were voiced during a rally in Yerevan on 17 November staged by the National Democratic Pole movement, formerly known as the Sasna Tsrer group.

"As long as this traitor administration is in power, there will be new aggressions, new border incidents, new illegal documents, new captives and deaths if this traitor administration remains in power," Vahe Gasparyan, a member of the movement, said at the rally.

Also, protesters called on President Armen Sargsyan "to show his clear position" and to join the people to create an independent and sovereign state.

Armenian opposition wins elections in Kapan

In Kapan, the opposition Bloc Shant party defeated the ruling party by a significant margin. Bloc Shant, whose electoral list of 70 candidates was headed by the incumbent mayor Gevorg Parsyan, received 69.64% of votes or 13 306 voters. For the ruling force, whose lists were headed by MP David Danielyan, 28.67% of the votes or 5,478 voters. The turnout was 63.61% (19,107 out of 30,040 voters).

Local elections were held in Armenia on November 14. In Kapan, the voter turnout rate was over 60%, which is almost twice the share of voters in Ijevan and Stepanavan, the CEC reported.

Two parties ran for the Kapan Council of Elders - Civil Contract, whose list of 61 candidates is headed by MP David Danielyan, and Bloc Shant, headed by incumbent Mayor Gevorg Parsyan. In Ijevan, the struggle unfolded between the ruling Civil Contract party and the ARF Dashnaktsutyun. The list of the party in power of 56 candidates is headed by Acting Mayor Artur Chagaryan. There are 14 candidates on the ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" list, headed by a private entrepreneur Vahan Kazumyan. In Stepanavan, three political forces fought for the mandates of the Council of Elders. The list of the party in power of 30 candidates was headed by the Acting Mayor of the city Garnik Grigoryan. The lists of the Prosperous Armenia Party and the Armenian National Congress have 17 and 15 candidates, respectively.

According to part 3 of Article 141 of the Electoral Code of Armenia, the threshold for elections to local self-government bodies on the proportional system is set at 4% for parties and 6% for blocs. According to the law, if more than two parties or blocs participated in the elections, and two political forces have overcome the threshold, the third party or bloc with the maximum number of votes will also enter the Council of Elders. If two parties or blocs participated in the elections, then both political forces enter the Council of Elders. According to Article 142.2 of the Electoral Code, if a political force receives more than 50% of the mandates of the Council of Elders because of elections, its candidate who headed the list of a party or bloc is considered an elected mayor by virtue of law. If none of the political forces receives more than 50% of the mandates, an open vote is held among the candidates who headed the electoral lists of parties or blocs that have overcome the threshold. The candidate with the majority of votes is elected by the mayor.

The ruling party won in Ijevan, where the ARF "Dashnaktsutyun" opposed it for the right to form the local administration. 82.45% or 5,380 voters voted for the ruling party, 14.24% or 929 voters voted for their opponent. The turnout was 37.75% (6,525 out of 17,284 voters).

The ruling party also won the elections in Stepanavan, with 78.4% or 4,004 voters voted for it. The Prosperous Armenia Party and the Armenian National Congress received 13.8% or 705 votes and 4.27% or 218 votes, respectively. The turnout was 38.27% (5,107 out of 13,343 voters).