Heritage (Zharangutiun) Party: Personality-Driven



The Heritage Party was founded in 2002 by Raffi Hovannisian, a US-born politician who served as foreign minister from 1991-1992. Heritage describes itself as "national by its roots, liberal in its economic principle," with a strong emphasis on democracy development. The party is among the most hardcore of Armenia's opposition parties and charges that President Robert Kocharian's government is "illegal." It has expressed a willingness to form coalitions with any opposition force, regardless of ideology. The number of party members is not available.

Like many of Armenia's parties, Heritage's image among voters is driven by its leader. Aside from his work during the early period of Armenia's independence, Hovannisian's popularity has been supported by the Armenian Center for National and International Studies, a Yerevan think-tank he runs, and by his decision to move with his family from the United States to Armenia.

In 2003, Hovannisian failed to be nominated as a presidential candidate after a court rejected his claim of having had Armenian citizenship since 1992. Surveys put voter support for his party at around 2.5 percent.

Elections Presence: 51 candidates on the party list for election by proportional voting; there are no individual candidates in first-past-the-post districts, but the party has announced its support for a non-partisan candidate opposing the brother of Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian in the town of Goris.
Slogan: Faith and Homeland Website:http:// www.heritage.am
Address: 31 Moskovian, Apt. 76a, Yerevan 0002
Tel: (374-10) 53-69-13, 53-26-97



Pro-Government:
Republican Party of Armenia
Prosperous Armenia Party
Armenian Revolutionary Federation
United Labor Party

Opposition:
Country of Law Party
People's Party of Armenia
National Unity Party
Republic Party



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http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav041905.shtml