Armenian National Congress

Armenian National Congress
Հայ Ազգային Կոնգրես
Leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan
Founded 2008
Preceded by Pan-Armenian National Movement
Headquarters Yerevan, Armenia
Ideology Classical liberalism
Market liberalism[1]
Political position Centre to centre-right
European affiliation ALDE Party[2]
National Assembly
0 / 105
Website
http://www.anc.am/

The Armenian National Congress (Armenian: Հայ Ազգային Կոնգրես, Hay Azgayin Kongres) is a political party in Armenia, 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.[3][4]

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[5]

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.[6] The death of 10 supporters of Ter-Petrosyan as a result of protests that followed Sargsyan's disputed victory are 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.[7]

2012 parliamentary election

After the 2012 parliamentary elections Armenian National Congress gained 7 seats in the National Assembly of Armenia.[8]

2015 Armenian constitutional referendum

In the 2015 constitutional referendum in Armenia, ANC been in "no" camp. ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan, stated that "the constitutional changes initiated by Serzh Sargsyan, destroying bases of the state".[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Ter-Petrosyan: Congress suggests following Constitution instead of preaching "ethno-religious ideology"". ArmeniaNow. 6 December 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  2. ↑
  3. ↑ ANC turns into Armenian National Congress party
  4. ↑ PANM becomes Armenian National Congress party
  5. ↑ "Declaration on The Creation of the Armenian National Congress". Armenian National Congress.
  6. ↑ "Armenia's opposition ANC holds rally on Liberty Square again". People's Daily Online. 9 April 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "Stepan Safaryan urges to stop Heritage-ANC confrontation". PanArmenian. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  8. ↑ http://res.elections.am/images/doc/060512.pdf
  9. ↑ Լևոն Տեր-Պետրոսյան. Նոր Սահմանադրությունը քանդում է պետության հիմքերը
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