Heritage (Armenia)

Heritage
Ժառանգություն
Leader Raffi Hovannisian
Founded 2002[1]
Headquarters Yerevan, Armenia
Membership 6,450 (2012)[2]
Ideology National liberalism (self-proclaimed)[3]
Liberalism[4][5]
Armenian nationalism[6]
Pro-Europeanism[3]
Pro-Western[7]
Political position Centre[5] to Centre-right
European affiliation European People's Party (EPP) (observer)[8]
European Democratic Party (before 2012)[9]
National Assembly
0 / 105
Website
www.heritage.am

Heritage (Armenian: Ժառանգություն, Zharangut’yun) is an Armenian national liberal party. It was founded in 2002 by Raffi Hovannisian, independent Armenia's first Foreign Minister.

Policy and ideology

Economy
  • Economic liberalism[9]
  • "Domestic policy goals are legal reforms, the development of civil society and the economic policy of Armenia. Heritage states that sustaining the competitiveness of the market helps the Armenian economy grow."[10]
  • "Furthermore, the party believes that reducing poverty and building good social services are very important for the future of Armenia. By taking these measures, Heritage has the objective to reduce emigration from Armenia and stop the “brain drain” from the country."[10]
Foreign Affairs
  • "Their foreign policy can be characterised as balanced, but also as pro-Western. The Heritage party underlines the good relationship with Russia, China and India, but sees European integration and cooperation as the key to progress. European integration is not a goal on its own, but rather a tool for improved well-being, prosperity and security. With Turkey, Heritage advocates an open and honest dialogue."[10]
  • Recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as an independent state (the party has several times unsuccessfully proposed bills in the parliament that would formally recognize the NKR by the Republic of Armenia)[11]
  • Integration of Armenia into the European Union and ultimate accession[3]

Electoral record

The party emerged as the fifth largest party in the National Assembly of Armenia after its debut in the 2007 Armenian parliamentary elections. It obtained 7 seats and a popular vote of 5.81%.

In 2012 parliamentary election, Heritage won 5 seats by party-list with 86,998 votes. It is now the smallest faction in the Armenian parliament with Zaruhi Postanjyan as its leader.[12]

National Assembly

Year
Party-list
Constituency seats
Total seats
+/–
Votes
%
Seats/total
2007
81,048
6.0%
7 / 90
0 / 41
7 / 131
 Increase 7
2012
86,998
5.8%
5 / 90
0 / 41
5 / 131
 Decrease 2

President

Year
Candidate
Votes
%
Rank
2008
endorsed Levon Ter-Petrosyan
2013
Raffi Hovannisian
539,672
36.8%
2

References

  1. ↑ "Leader of "Heritage" party to run for Armenian president". ARKA News Agency. 24 December 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  2. ↑ Asatryan, Anahit (7 May 2012). Իսկ ինչ անեն Հանրապետականին չքվեարկածները. report.am (in Armenian). "Ժառանգություն” կուսակցությունը ստացել է 87,100 ձայն (5.77%), անդամների թիվն է` 6 հազար 450։
  3. 1 2 3 "About Us". Heritage Party Website. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Abrahamyan, Aram (17 March 2012). "The Ideology of Mature People". Aravot. Retrieved 8 June 2014. The Free Democrats and the Heritage Party explicitly state about their adherence to liberalism...
  5. 1 2 "Evaluation Report on Armenia on Transparency of party funding" (PDF). Strasbourg,: Council of Europe. 3 December 2010. p. 5. Heritage Party (centre, liberal)
  6. ↑ Osyan, Astghik (31 March 2011). "Ազգայնականության գաղափարախոսության արտահայտումները հայաստանյան քաղաքական կուսակցությունների ծրագրերում [Manifestations of nationalist ideology in the programs of Armenian parties]" (in Armenian). Armenian Sociological Club. Archived from the original on 8 June 2014. Հանդիսանալով ազգային և ազատական (լիբերալ) արժեքների կրող` Ժառանգությունն առավել ընդգծում է ազատական գաղափարների կարևորությունը և հենց այդ համատեքստում է դիտարկում նաև ազգայնականության գործոնները: Այսինքն` ազգայնականության կոնստրուկտը, համաձայն Ժառանգության քաղաքական ծրագրի, պետք է կառուցվի ազատականության հիման վրա:
  7. ↑ de Waal, Thomas (2011). "The Karabakh trap: Dangers and dilemmas of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict" (PDF). London: Conciliation Resources. p. 7. ...pro-Western Heritage Party...
  8. ↑ "Heritage Party on EPP observer status and political corruption in Armenia". news.am. 10 February 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 "RA Political Parties: Representation in Europe". Yerevan: European Integration NGO. Retrieved 8 June 2014. Armenian Heritage Party is an advocate of liberal economic and democratic governance system. Despite the party’s declared liberal-democrat ideology it is not a member of ELDR. However, Heritage party that is now in Armenian opposition is also represented in Europe: since recently the Heritage joined the European Democratic Party as an observer.
  10. 1 2 3 "Armenia country update". European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity. 16 January 2014.
  11. ↑ "Karabakh recognition bill put into circulation at Armenian parliament". PanARMENIAN.Net. 4 September 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  12. ↑ Factions, National Assembly of the RA


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