Free Motherland

Free Motherland

Ազատ Հայրենիք Կուսակցություն
*Azat Hayrenik Kusaktsutyun*
Free Motherland Ազատ Հայրենիք Կուսակցություն; Azat Hayrenik Kusaktsutyun
Co-Presidents	Arayik Harutyunyan; Arthur Tovmasyan; Rudik Hyusnunts; Arpat Avanesyan
Founded	29 January 2005
Headquarters	Stepanakert
Newspaper	Akunk
Ideology	Armenian nationalism
Political position	Centre-right
National affiliation	Free Motherland - UCA Alliance
Colors	Orange
National Assembly	16 / 33
	Politics of Artsakh; Political parties; Elections;

Free Motherland (Armenian: «Ազատ Հայրենիք» կուսակցություն, Azat Hayrenik kusaktsutyun) abbreviated as ԱՀԿ or AHK was a political party in Artsakh. The party was formed on 29 January 2005. Initially, the party consisted of four co-presidents: Arayik Harutyunyan, Arthur Tovmasyan, Rudik Hyusnunts and Arpat Avanesyan.

History

The party was founded on 29 January 2005. The chairman of the party is former Prime Minister Araik Harutyunyan. The party participated in the 2005 Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, after which the party received 10 out of 33 seats in the National Assembly.

Following the 2010 Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, the party won 14 seats in the National Assembly, both in direct and proportional electoral systems. The head of the faction was Gagik Petrosyan.

Following the 2015 Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, the Free Motherland Party won 47.3% of the vote and together with those elected by the majority system, received 15 seats and made up a parliamentary majority. The head of the faction is Arthur Tovmasyan.

The party participated in 2020 Artsakhian general election as part of the Free Motherland - UCA Alliance,^[2]^[3] which won 16 seats out of 33 in the National Assembly.^[4]

Electoral record

Year	Alliance	Party-list			Constituency /total	Total seats	/–
Year	Alliance	Votes	%	Seats /total	Constituency /total	Total seats	/–
2005	none	11,258	18.48%	3 / 11	7 / 22	10 / 33	new
2010		29,252	44.2%	8 / 17	6 / 16	14 / 33	4
2015		32,632	47.35%	11 / 22	4 / 11	15 / 33	1
2020	part of Free Motherland - UCA Alliance	29,688	40.43%	—		16 / 33	1

Program

The program of the party is a document expressing the national interests of the Artsakh people, their freedom, security and the right to self-determination. The party is a political association of the NKR on a voluntary basis. Objectives include: a) together with like-minded people to improve social justice, b) to revive the people's faith in their own strengths and a brighter future, c) create conditions for the formation of the middle class, d) promote the spiritual revival of the people and increase the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Ideology

The party maintains a centre-right ideology. The party advocates for a national and religious identity, economic development, preservation of language, educational system reform, and supports cultural patriotism and military spirit. The main difference from other Armenian and Artsakh parties is the support of economic development over democratic transformations. The party believes that economic development will help to achieve Artsakh's independence, while strengthening the establishment of civil society and democracy.

Central Council

Important decisions of the party are made up by a Central Council consisting of 55 persons, by either open or closed voting:

Harutyunyan Araik
Petrosyan Gagik
Tovmasyan Arthur
Avanesyan Arpat
Hyusnunts Rudik
Jivanyan Hovik
Dadayan Romela
Kasparyan Grigory
Harutyunyan Valery
Petrosyan Karlen
Esayan Samvel
Adamyan Karen
Azatyan Kamo
Alibabyan Gennady
Alaverdyan Hamlet
Aghajanyan Anaida
Aghajanyan Samvel
Virabyan Samvel
Arustamyan Arto
Arushanyan Vigen
Asryan Murad
Asryan Asya
Avanesyan Ivan
Beglaryan David
Beglaryan Erik
Gasparyan Grigory
Grigoryan Aram
Grigoryan Garry
Grigoryan Oleg
Dadasyan Arthur
Israelyan Rudolf
Israelyan Ruslan
Galstyan Armo
Khachatryan Qajik
Tsaturyan Armen
Hayrapetyan Aleksey
Nasibyan Hrachik
Harutyunyan Stanislav
Mirzoyan Artak
Mikaelyan Vladimir
Mikaelyan Arsen
Mkhitaryan Artush
Mnatsakanyan Serob
Narimanyan Kamo
Poghosyan Vahram
Hayrapetyan Susanna
Saryan Sumbat
Virabyan Michael
Ulubabyan Vardges
Qocharyan Kamo
Ohanyan Armen
Petrosyan Arthur
Hakobyan Anna
Ohanjanyan Ararat

References

^ Muth, Sebastian (2014). "War, language removal and self-identification in the linguistic landscapes of Nagorno-Karabakh". Nationalities Papers. 42 (1): 68. doi:10.1080/00905992.2013.856394. ISSN 0090-5992. S2CID 128709302.
^ "Արցախի "Ազատ հայրենիք"-ը և "Քաղաքացիական միացյալ դաշինք"-ը ընտրություններին կմասնակցեն դաշինքով". armenpress.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 2020-04-04.
^ ""Ազատ հայրենիք"-ը և "Քաղաքացիական միացյալ դաշինք"-ը ընտրություններին կմասնակցեն դաշինքով". artsakhpress.am. Retrieved 2020-04-04.
^ "Արցախի Ազգային ժողովում կլինեն 5 քաղաքական թիմեր. հաղթել է "Ազատ Հայրենիք-ՔՄԴ" դաշինքը". Hetq.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 2020-04-04.

External links

Free Motherland Party on Facebook

[1] Muth, Sebastian (2014). "War, language removal and self-identification in the linguistic landscapes of Nagorno-Karabakh". Nationalities Papers. 42 (1): 68. doi:10.1080/00905992.2013.856394. ISSN 0090-5992. S2CID 128709302.

[2] "Արցախի "Ազատ հայրենիք"-ը և "Քաղաքացիական միացյալ դաշինք"-ը ընտրություններին կմասնակցեն դաշինքով". armenpress.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 2020-04-04.

[3] ""Ազատ հայրենիք"-ը և "Քաղաքացիական միացյալ դաշինք"-ը ընտրություններին կմասնակցեն դաշինքով". artsakhpress.am. Retrieved 2020-04-04.

[4] "Արցախի Ազգային ժողովում կլինեն 5 քաղաքական թիմեր. հաղթել է "Ազատ Հայրենիք-ՔՄԴ" դաշինքը". Hetq.am (in Armenian). Retrieved 2020-04-04.

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