National Assembly (Armenia)

National Assembly Ազգային ժողով Azgayin Zhoghov
Type
Type	Unicameral
Leadership
Speaker	Hovik Abrahamyan, Republican Party Since 31 May 2012
Structure
Seats	131
Political groups	Republican Party (70)      Prosperous Armenia (36)      ANC (7)      Rule of Law (6)      ARF (5)      Heritage (5)      Non-partisans (2)
Elections
Voting system	90 by Party list PR 41 by constituencies
Last election	6 May 2012
Meeting place
National Assembly Building 19 Baghramyan Yerevan, 0095 Republic of Armenia
Website
National Assembly of Armenia

The building

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The National Assembly (Armenian: Ազգային Ժողով, Azgayin Zhoghov) is the legislative branch of the government of Armenia.

History

See also: Armenian National Assembly (Ottoman Empire)

Until the promulgation of the Hatt-i Sharif of 1839, the patriarch and his clients, within limits, possessed authority over Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire. The first step to Constitutional parliamentary activity still in the 19th century began with the Armenian National Constitution of 1860 in the Ottoman Empire. In line with this particular constitutional document Armenian National Assembly (Ottoman Empire) began to convene its sessions with 140 members. It dealt with the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire's domestic activity, as well as national, religious, educational, cultural and other issues.

In 1917 the February revolution caused great changes and sociopolitical shifts in the vast Russian Armenia. The first steps were undertaken towards democratization of the Democratic Republic of Armenia. National life awoke and national self-consciousness grew through Armenian National Councils which established the Armenian Congress of Eastern Armenians. At the initiative of the Armenian political parties mainly Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Armenian national congress was summoned in later September and earlier October 1917. The congress, held in Tiflis brought together 203 and declared the first Armenian Republic.

Current

The National Assembly is a unicameral body. It comprises 131 members, elected for five-year terms: 41 members in single-seat constituencies and 90 by proportional representation. The proportional-representation seats in the National Assembly are assigned on a party-list basis amongst those parties that receive at least 5% of the total of the number of the votes. The current speaker of the National Assembly is Hovik Abrahamyan.

Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet (1938-1990)

Its predecessor was the Supreme Soviet.

• Khachik Hakobjanyan 1938-1943
• Aghasi Sargsyan 1943-1944
• Simak Sahakyan 1944-1961
• Edward Topchyan 1961-1971
• Rouben Parsamyan 1971-1972
• Artsrun Gasparyan 1972-1975
• Sergey Hambardzumyan 1975-1980
• Samson Tonotyan 1980-1990

Chairmen of the Supreme Council (1990-1995)

• Levon Ter-Petrosyan August 4, 1990-November 11, 1991
• Babken Ararktsyan December 24, 1991-July 27, 1995

Speakers of the National Assembly (1995-)

• Babken Ararktsyan July 27, 1995-February 4, 1998
• Khosrov Harutyunyan February 4, 1998-June 11, 1999
• Karen Demirchyan June 11, 1999-October 27, 1999
• Armen Khachatryan November 2, 1999-June 12, 2003
• Artur Baghdasaryan June 12, 2003-June 1, 2006
• Tigran Torosyan June 1, 2006-September 26, 2008
• Hrayr Karapetyan (acting) September 26, 2008-September 29, 2008
• Hovik Abrahamyan September 28, 2008 – November 21, 2011
• Samvel Nikoyan December 6, 2011 - May 31, 2012
• Hovik Abrahamyan May 31, 2012 – present

Deputy Chairmen/Speakers

• Babken Ararktsyan 1990 - 1991
• Gagik Harutyunyan 1990 - 1991
• Ara Sahakian 1991 - 1998
• Artashes Tumanyan 1991 - 1995
• Karapet Rubinyan 1995 - 1998
• Albert Bazeyan 1998 - 1999
• Yuri Bakhshyan 1998 - 1999
• Ruben Miroyan 1999
• Gagik Aslanian 1999 - 2003
• Tigran Torosyan 1999 - 2006
• Vahan Hovanissian 2003 - 2008
• Isakhan Zakarian 2007
• Arevik Petrosyan 2007 - 2010
• Hrayr Karapetyan 2008 - 2009
• Samvel Nikoyan 2009 - 2012
• Samvel Balasanyan 2010 - 2012
• Edward Sharmazanov 2011 - Present
• Hermine Naghdalyan 2012 - Present

  Summary of the 6 May 2012 Armenian National Assembly election results

Party		Party-list			Constituency		Total seats	+/–
		Votes	%	Seats	Seats	%
	Republican Party	664,440	44.02%	40	29	70.7%	69	5
	Prosperous Armenia	454,673	30.12%	28	9	21.9%	37	12
	ANC	106,903	7.08%	7			7	7
	Rule of Law	83,123	5.51%	5	1	2.4%	6	3
	ARF	85,550	5.67%	5			5	10
	Heritage	86,998	5.76%	5			5	2
	Armenian Communist Party	15,899	1.45%
	Democratic Party of Armenia	5,577	0.37%
	Unified Armenians Party	2,945	0.20%
	Non-partisans/Independents				2	4.8%	2	4
Invalid votes		53,831	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total		1,573,053	100.00%	90	41	100.0%	131	—
Electorate and turnout:		2,523,101	62.35%	—	—	—	—	—
Source: Central Electoral Commission of the Republic of Armenia

See also

• Politics of Armenia
• List of legislatures by country

External links

• National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia