Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, 2010

Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, 2010

2005 ← 23 May 2010 → 2015

All 33 seats to the National Assembly   First party Second party Third party   Leader Arayik Harutyunyan Ashot Ghulian Vitaly Balasanian Party Free Motherland Democratic Party ARF Last election 10 seats, 26.7% 12 seats, 37.6% 3 seats, 24.4% Seats won 14 seats 7 6 Seat change +4 -5 +3 Popular vote 29,252 18,017 12,725 Percentage 44.2% 27.0% 19.1% Swing +17.5% -10.6% -5.3%

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Nagorno-Karabakh

Constitution President Bako Sahakyan Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan National Assembly Political parties Elections: 2007 Presidential 2010 Parliamentary See also: Politics of Armenia Politics of Azerbaijan

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A parliamentary election was held in the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on 23 May 2010.^[1][2]

Background

Nagorno-Karabakh declared its independence from Azerbaijan in 1991. A conflict took place between 1988 and 1994 which resulted in Nagorno-Karabakh, with Armenian support, becoming de facto independent from Azerbaijan. However it has not been internationally recognised and Azerbaijan still claims the area as part of its state.^[3]

Several changes to the election process were made since the previous election in 2005. Whereas previously, 22 of the parliament's 33 seats were filled using party-list proportional representation and 11 using first-past-the-post, the distribution for these elections is 17-16. Another change concerns the lowering of the election threshold from 10% to 6% (for political parties) and from 15% to 8% (for electoral blocs).^[2]

A total of 94,900 voters are registered for the election, about 66% of the total population of Nagorno-Karabakh.^[4]

Contesting parties

Before the elections, it became clear very few opposition parties would contest.^[2] Four parties contesting the 17 list-based seats are registered: Free Motherland (FM), led by Prime Minister Arayik Harutyunyan, the Democratic Party of Artsakh (DPA), the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARM) and the Communist Party of Artsakh (CPA). Of these parties, only the communists did not support president Bako Sahakyan in the 2007 election. 44 More candidates stand for election in the 16 FPTP constituencies.^[4]

Opinion polls

Date of poll	Institute	FM	DPA	ARF	CPA	Independents
May 2010	Sociometer Center	13	11	5	0	4

Results

With about 50% of the votes counted, Free Motherland led the count with 45.8% of the votes. The DPA was at 30.7% and the ARF at 18.2%. The CP was below the electoral threshold of 6% (5.34%), which means it might be difficult for them to get a seat.^[5]

At the morning of 25 May, after counting of all votes, Free Motherland was at 46,4%, The DPA was at 28,6%, and the ARF was at 20,2%. The Communist Party was at 4,8% and did not get into parliament in the party-list proportional representation.^[6]

e • d Summary of the 23 May 2010 National Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh election results

Parties	Votes PR Lists	%	Seats (PR)	Seats (FPTP)	Seats (total)	+/–
Free Motherland (Azat Hayrenik)	29,252	44.2	8	6	14	+4
Democratic Party of Artsakh (Artsakhi Demokratakan Kusaktsutyun)	18,017	27.0	5	2	7	–5
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Hai Heghapokhakan Dashnaktsutyun)	12,725	19.1	4	2	6	+3
Communist Party of Artsakh (Artsakhi Komunistakan Kusaktsutyun)	3,057	4.6	—	—	—	—
Non-partisans	—	—	—	6	6	–2
Valid votes	63,324	94.8	17	16	33	—
Invalid/blank votes	3,446	5.2	—	—	—	—
Total (Turnout 67.8%)	66,771	100.0	17	16	33	—
Source: NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs Caucasian Knot

Reaction

About 120 international observers from France, Russia, USA, Italy, Germany, Greece, Great Britain, Argentina, Ireland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Iran, Netherlands, Canada, Slovakia, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transnistria, and others, as well as a big group of observers from Armenia observed the elections.^[7][8] Later the Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast stated that Iran had not delegated any observers.^[9] Azerbaijan made a black list of the international observers who visited Nagorno-Karabakh and declared them personae non-gratae.^[10]

Various international organisations and countries issued statements refusing to recognise the 2010 elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, among them the OSCE,^[11] the European Union,^[12] the United Kingdom,^[13] France,^[14] Iran,^[15] Russia,^[16] Turkey,^[17] Greece,^[18] Georgia,^[19] Lithuania,^[20] and Romania.^[21]

References

1. ^ Maximiliano Herrera. "Electoral Calendar- world elections,US elections,presidential election,world parties". Mherrera.org. http://www.mherrera.org/elections.htm. Retrieved 2010-03-11. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} Hayrumyan, Naira (12 March 2010). "NKR votes 2010: Absence of opposition in Karabakh’s upcoming polls". Armenia Now. http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/21557/parliamentary_elections_in_karabakh. Retrieved 18 May 2010. 
3. ^ "Karabakh holds disputed elections". BBC Online. 2005-06-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4107988.stm. Retrieved 2009-03-08. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Hayrumyan, Naira (20 May 2010). "NKR Votes 2010: Candidates for parliament seats united in uncompromising stance on Karabakh settlement". Armenia Now. http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/23228/parliamentary_elections_nkr. Retrieved 23 May 2010. 
5. ^ "Free Homeland Party Wins 45.8 percent of Votes in Karabakh Elections". Stepanakert: RIA Novosti/Yerevan Report. 24 May 2010. http://www.yerevanreport.com/2010/05/24/free-homeland-party-wins-45-8-percent-of-votes-in-karabakh-elections/. Retrieved 24 May 2010. 
6. ^ "На парламентских выборах в НКР победила партия “Свободная родина”". Karabakh News. 25 May 2010. http://karabakh-news.com/7124-na-parlamentskix-vyborax-v-nkr-pobedila-partiya-svobodnaya-rodina.html. 
7. ^ "Free Homeland party leads count in Karabakh parliamentary vote." RIA Novosti. 24 May 2010.
8. ^ "PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS HELD IN THE NKR". Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. 25, May 2010. http://www.nkr.am/en/news/2010-05-25/265/. 
9. ^ Иран опроверг информацию об участии своих наблюдателей на так называемых «парламентских выборах» в Нагорном Карабахе
10. ^ "Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry: The foreigners, who observed the “elections” in Nagorno Karabakh, will be banned from arriving in Azerbaijan". APA Azerbaijan. 26 May 2010. http://en.apa.az/news.php?id=123095. 
11. ^ OSCE Chairperson-in-Office comment on the 'parliamentary election' in Nagorno-Karabakh
12. ^ Disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh elects new parliament
13. ^ Q&A: Nagorno Karabakh - Lord Howell of Guildford
14. ^ Франция не признает выборы в НКР
15. ^ Iran does not recognize parliamentary poll in Nagorno-Karabakh: FM Spokesman
16. ^ Karabakh Voters Flock to Polls for Parliamentary Elections
17. ^ Turkey condemns election in Karabakh
18. ^ Азербайджанских туристов ждут в Греции
19. ^ Georgia does not recognize elections in Nagorno Karabakh
20. ^ Lithuania confirms non-recognition of "parliamentary elections" in Nagorno-Karabakh
21. ^ Romania does not recognize legitimacy of parliamentary election in Nagorno-Karabakh