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Armenian National Congress

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This article is about the modern-day political coalition. For the 1917 assembly, see Armenian National Congress (1917).
Armenian National Congress
Հայ Ազգային Կոնգրես
LeaderLevon Ter-Petrosyan
Founded1 August 2008 (2008-08-01) (as a coalition)
March–April 2013 (as a party)
Preceded byPan-Armenian National Movement
HeadquartersYerevan, Armenia
IdeologySocial liberalism
Soft Pro-Europeanism[1][2]
Political positionCentre
European affiliationALDE Party[3]
Slogan“The Time to Get Serious”
National Assembly
0 / 107
Website
anc.am

The Armenian National Congress (Template:Lang-hy) is an Armenian political party led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan and formed in 2008. Its direct predecessor was the Pan-Armenian National Movement.

It is often abbreviated as ՀԱԿ or HAK, in keeping with its Armenian spelling, but it is occasionally referred to as the ANC in English-language media, including in its official website.

From 2008 to 2013, it was a coalition of 13 opposition parties. In 2013, when certain member parties left the Pan-Armenian National Movement, the remainder of the organization collectively decided during a conference to form a new party called the Armenian National Congress.[4][5]

Formation and goals

The website of the Armenian National Congress lists five main goals:

 • The immediate release of all political prisoners.
 • Attaining complete freedom of speech, access to media, and assembly.
 • Truly independent investigation of the crimes of March 1 with the significant participation of International experts.
 • Initiation of a dialogue with the authorities about democratic reforms after the fulfillment of at least the first condition.
 • Holding of pre-term presidential and parliamentary elections.

— Armenian National Congress, official website[6]

In addition, the ANC also believes in maintaining good relations with Armenia's neighbors, including normalizing relations with both Turkey and Azerbaijan, developing closer relations with the Middle East, self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh, encouraging further European integration of Armenia and deepening cooperation with the European Union, the United States, Russia and maintaining strong relations with CIS member states.[7]

History

2008 merge

The Impeachment Union party was officially dissolved in 2008 as members opted to join the ANC.

2011 protests

During the 2011 Armenian protests, the HAK played a major role in organizing demonstrations and pushing for the government of President Serzh Sargsyan, who defeated Ter-Petrosyan in the 2008 election, to accept the demands of protesters.[8] The death of 10 people during protests that followed Sargsyan's disputed victory were a major rallying point for protesters.

Relations between the HAK and Heritage, a fellow opposition party, have historically been rocky, with differences in tactics during the 2011 protests widening the rift.[9]

2012 parliamentary election

Main article: 2012 Armenian parliamentary election

Prior to the 2012 parliamentary elections, the ANC formed an electoral bloc with the Democratic Homeland Party, the Freedom Party, among others. The ANC bloc was also supported by the Green Party of Armenia and the Conservative Party. Following the 2012 elections, the Armenian National Congress gained 7 seats in the National Assembly of Armenia.[10]

The Democratic Homeland Party subsequently left the ANC. Also in 2012, the Armenian Liberal Party left the ANC after being a member of the party since 2008.

2013 split

In 2013, the Conservative Party, which had been an active member of the ANC, announced its decision to separate from the party.[11][12]

2015 Armenian constitutional referendum

Main article: 2015 Armenian constitutional referendum

In the 2015 constitutional referendum in Armenia, the ANC supported the "no" camp. ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan, stated that "the constitutional changes initiated by Serzh Sargsyan was destroying the bases of the state".[13]

2017 Armenian parliamentary election

Main article: 2017 Armenian parliamentary election

The ANC formed a political alliance with the People's Party of Armenia, however the alliance failed to win any seats following the election.

2018 Armenian parliamentary election

Main article: 2018 Armenian parliamentary election

The ANC did not participate in the 2018 Armenian parliamentary elections. The ANC endorsed the My Step Alliance.[14]

2021 Armenian parliamentary election

Main article: 2021 Armenian parliamentary election

On 16 May 2021, the ANC announced that the party would participate in the 2021 elections with Levon Ter-Petrosyan leading the party's electoral list.[15] Prior to the election, Ter-Petrosyan was very critical of Nikol Pashinyan and had attempted to form a united team with former presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, however, his proposal was rejected.[16] As such, the ANC participated in the elections independently. Following the election, the ANC gained just 1.54% of the popular vote, failing to win any seats in the National Assembly.

Recent activities

2019

A statement from the Armenian National Congress in 2019 addressed tax reform: "On 7 March 2019, the Government of the Republic of Armenia approved the package of draft amendments to the Tax Code and to several laws regulating tax relations, but certain draft laws will cause harm to the activities of small and medium enterprises."[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ter-Petrosyan: Congress suggests following Constitution instead of preaching "ethno-religious ideology"". ArmeniaNow. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  2. ^ "Party Programs". Armenian National Congress.
  3. ^ "Liberalism in Armenia well rooted among ANC but country on a slippery slope". Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party. 2015-08-26. Archived from the original on 2016-03-28. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
  4. ^ ANC turns into Armenian National Congress party
  5. ^ Pan-Armenian National Movement renamed "Armenian National Congress" party
  6. ^ "Declaration on The Creation of the Armenian National Congress". Armenian National Congress.
  7. ^ "Party Programs". Armenian National Congress.
  8. ^ "Armenia's opposition ANC holds rally on Liberty Square again". People's Daily Online. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  9. ^ "Stepan Safaryan urges to stop Heritage-ANC confrontation". PanArmenian. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  10. ^ http://res.elections.am/images/doc/060512.pdf
  11. ^ "Պահպանողական կուսակցությունը լքեց ՀԱԿ-ը". December 25, 2012.
  12. ^ "Պահպանողական կուսակցությունը լքում է ՀԱԿ-ը". armenpress.am.
  13. ^ Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյան. Նոր Սահմանադրությունը քանդում է պետության հիմքերը
  14. ^ "Armenia's June 2021 Parliamentary Election: The Essential Primer".
  15. ^ Levon Ter-Petrosyan to Head ANC Election List If Party Decides to Participate in June Election
  16. ^ "Armenia's June 2021 Parliamentary Election: The Essential Primer".
  17. ^ "Armenian National Congress issues statement on Armenia government's tax reforms". news.am. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
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