Hanrapetutiun (Republic) Party: Ideology-Driven
The Hanrapetutiun (Republic) Party was created in March 2001 by a group of former members of the Republican Party led by former Prime Minister Aram Sarkisian, former Defense Minister Vagharshak Haroutiunian and former Yerevan Mayor Albert Bazeyan. The main reason for the group's split with the Republican Party was the concern that the Armnenian leadership planned to trade the disputed territory of Nagorno Karabakh for the Meghri region in southern Armenia, which would give Azerbaijan land access to its Nakhchivan exclave, but would cut off Armenia from Iran. (The authorities denied the existence of such a plan).
During the 2003 parliamentary elections, the Republic Party joined the Ardarutiun (Justice) opposition bloc and entered parliament with three seats. The party has become one of the most radical of the groups opposing President Kocharian's government; its leaders, friends and relatives of the late Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian, believe that President Kocharian did not fully investigate the 1999 shooting in parliament that resulted in Sarkisian's death.
The Republic Party is the lone opposition party not to have returned to parliament after the failure of the 2003-2004 boycott. Since the 2003 parliamentary election, Sarkisian has continued to state that a "power shift" in Armenia is inevitable.
However, as time passes without the promised change of power, the party's influence is believed to be decreasing. Opinion polls tend to show support of no more than 1 percent. In 2006, party founders Bazeyan and Harouitunian left to create their own party.
The Republic Party has always said it would give up its leadership ambitions for the sake of opposition unity, however. In the closing days of the 2007 campaign, plans for street rallies with two other opposition groups (The New Times Party and the Impeachment bloc) with which it had joined forces are where some observers believe it could make its mark, if any. The party has pledged to continue
Elections Presence: 55 individuals on the party list for election by proportional voting.
Slogan: "Let's vote for the Republic."
Website: NA
Address: 37 Mashtots Str., Yerevan
Tel:(374-10) 53-86-35
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
Heritage Party
Opposition Blasts Governing Party Over Alleged Campaign Irregularities
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav050307a.shtml
Opposition Parties Cry Foul Over Campaign Coverage
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav042707a.shtml
Armenian Opposition Divided Ahead of Election
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav030807b.shtml
Armenian Opposition: TV Campaign Ad Prices a Political Handicap
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav052206.shtml
Opposition Seeks to Regroup After Constitutional Setback (2005)
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav121505.shtml
Armenia's Opposition: In Search of a Revolution (2005)
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/civilsociety/articles/pp112705.shtml
Armenia: Blood and Bile: Transitions Online Partner Post (2004)
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/pp110204.shtml
Armenian Government, Opposition Declare Shaky Truce (2004)
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav051004a.shtml
Trial Deepens Mystery Over Murder of Armenian State TV Chief (2003)
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav092403.shtml
Leading Armenian Political Family Accused of Murder: Transitions Online Partner Post(2003)
http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav033003.shtml
