Tweet
ELECTION 2013: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED AMID ACCUSATIONS OF VOTING IRREGULARITIES
Global Insight
February 19, 2013
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan was re-elected yesterday (18
February) with more than 58% of the vote, according to official
results released today (19 February). Former foreign minister Raffi
Hovannisian came second, with 36.8% of the vote. Voter turnout was
60%, defying fears of low voter engagement. The result was widely
anticipated, and was aided by a relatively fragmented opposition and
the withdrawal of some more popular candidates during the campaign
(seeArmenia: 15 February 2013:). Hovannisian was quick to denounce
the result, claiming widespread voting fraud. His spokesperson
Hovsep Khurshudian stated, "These were shameful elections with a
huge number of violations. The results of the exit poll do not show
reality but what the authorities wanted." Election observers from the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commented
that although the election was an improvement on previous ballots,
there was a lack of effective competition, and checks against repeat
voting were insufficient in some cases. Hovannisian's supporters
stated they would protest against the result on Tuesday evening (19
February), although as yet there has been no repeat of the violence
following the 2008 presidential election, which left 10 people dead.
Significance:The election is an improvement on previous ballots, and
highlights the progress Armenia has made in recent years. This has been
driven in part by strong pressure from the EU, with which Sargsyan is
seeking to build closer relations. Despite his resounding victory,
Sargsyan's second term is unlikely to be an easy one. He will face
increasingly politically active young professional voters pressing
for serious economic reforms, as well as calling for the removal of
oligarchic monopolies. Sargsyan has been very effective in recent
years in improving the tax collection system, but this has created a
new class of taxpaying active citizens who will demand accountability
and efficiency from the new government.
Global Insight
February 19, 2013
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan was re-elected yesterday (18
February) with more than 58% of the vote, according to official
results released today (19 February). Former foreign minister Raffi
Hovannisian came second, with 36.8% of the vote. Voter turnout was
60%, defying fears of low voter engagement. The result was widely
anticipated, and was aided by a relatively fragmented opposition and
the withdrawal of some more popular candidates during the campaign
(seeArmenia: 15 February 2013:). Hovannisian was quick to denounce
the result, claiming widespread voting fraud. His spokesperson
Hovsep Khurshudian stated, "These were shameful elections with a
huge number of violations. The results of the exit poll do not show
reality but what the authorities wanted." Election observers from the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commented
that although the election was an improvement on previous ballots,
there was a lack of effective competition, and checks against repeat
voting were insufficient in some cases. Hovannisian's supporters
stated they would protest against the result on Tuesday evening (19
February), although as yet there has been no repeat of the violence
following the 2008 presidential election, which left 10 people dead.
Significance:The election is an improvement on previous ballots, and
highlights the progress Armenia has made in recent years. This has been
driven in part by strong pressure from the EU, with which Sargsyan is
seeking to build closer relations. Despite his resounding victory,
Sargsyan's second term is unlikely to be an easy one. He will face
increasingly politically active young professional voters pressing
for serious economic reforms, as well as calling for the removal of
oligarchic monopolies. Sargsyan has been very effective in recent
years in improving the tax collection system, but this has created a
new class of taxpaying active citizens who will demand accountability
and efficiency from the new government.