Citizen's Decision

Citizen’s Decision (Armenian: «Քաղաքացու որոշում», K՛aghak՛atsu voroshum, short ՔՈ, K՛O "Your") is an Armenian social-democratic political party founded in November 2018 by a group of left-leaning activists following the Velvet Revolution.[2] The party traces back its origin to the 2012 Mashtots Park Movement.[3][7]

Citizen’s Decision

Քաղաքացու որոշում
AbbreviationՔՈ
SecretarySuren Sahakyan[1]
FoundedNovember 3, 2018 (2018-11-03)[2]
HeadquartersYerevan
IdeologySocial democracy
Welfarism[3][4]
Environmentalism[3]
Direct democracy[5][4]
Political positionCentre-left to left-wing[6][3]
Colorsgreen
National Assembly
0 / 132
Website
www.sdp.am

The party is not currently represented in the National Assembly, although it participated in the 2018 parliamentary election. It is regarded by commentators as one of the several newly-founded parties without wide name recognition.[8][9] During the election campaign they voiced criticisms of Prime Minister-turned-revolutionary leader Nikol Pashinyan for alleged shortcomings and advocated reforming the Constitution, the Electoral Code and instituting transitional justice.[5]

Ideology

The party advocates for the welfare state, redistribution of wealth, environmentalism, universal healthcare, free education, gender equality, support of trade unions,[3] and direct democracy.[5][4]

In addition, the party advocates for self-determination of the Republic of Artsakh, establishing peace in the Caucasus region and maintaining neutral relations with Russia.[10] Some party members have called for the re-negotiation of agreements between Armenia and Russia, in particular, the presence of the Russian military base in Armenia.[11]

Electoral performance

In the 2018 election, the party won 8,530 votes or 0.68% of the total vote.[12] The party won 1.3% in Arabkir and 1.2% in Kentron districts of Yerevan. Outside the capital, it had above-average support in the province of Tavush, especially in the regional center Ijevan (2.8%) and the village of Yenokavan (28.6%). The latter was explained by the endorsement of the party and speculated financial support by Tigran Chibukhchyan, the owner of Yell Extreme Park based in Yenokavan.[13]

Parliamentary elections
Year Votes % Seats /total +/–
2018
8,530
0.68%
0 / 132
 New

See also

References
  1. "The "Citizen's Decision" Party was established". iravaban.net. 3 November 2018.
  2. "Citizen's Decision: New Social-Democratic Party Created Today". Hetq.am. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  3. Liakhov, Peter (4 December 2018). "Armenia's Velvet Jacobins". EurasiaNet.
  4. Avedikyan, Manuk (15 November 2018). "New Political Parties and a Failed Electoral Code". Armenian Weekly.
  5. "Քաղաքացու որոշում սոցիալ-դեմոկրատները մանդարիններ են բաժանել Գյումրիում (տեսանյութ)" (in Armenian). A1plus. 6 December 2018.
  6. Ghalechyan, Narine (14 November 2018). ""Քաղաքացու որոշում"-ը "հակված է" մասնակցել ընտրություններին". azatutyun.am (in Armenian). RFE/RL.
  7. Kocharyan, Stepan (26 November 2018). "Citizen's Decision Party highlights social-economic situation, says parliament is additional tool for struggle". Armenpress.
  8. "Eleven Political Parties Register For Armenia's Parliamentary Elections". RFE/RL. 15 November 2018.
  9. Kopalyan, Nerses (20 November 2018). "No Parliament for Rich, Old Men". EVN Report.
  12. "ԿԸՀ-ն ամփոփել է 2010 ընտրատեղամասերի արդյունքները, «Իմ քայլը» ստացել է ձայների 70,43 տոկոսը". azatutyun.am (in Armenian). RFE/RL. 10 December 2018.
  13. ""Քաղաքացու որոշում" կուսակցությանը ֆինանսավորում է Ենոքավանում գտնվող "Յելլ էքսթրիմ պարկ"ի սեփականատերը" (in Armenian). tert.am. 21 November 2018.
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