Armenia’s new parliament speaker wins support by two political forces
Galust Sahakyan, Armenia’s new parliament speaker elected in a secret ballot on Tuesday, is thought to have won support by two political forces represented in parliament: the Republican faction (of which he is the leader) and Rule of Law.
Sahakyan won the election with 101 votes “in favor”. His only rival was Hrant Bagratyan, an opposition MP from the Armenian National Congress. Of the 131 parliament members, 106 participated in the voting. Two ballot-papers were declared null and void. According to the Armenian National Assembly’s official website, the ruling political force has 70 registered lawmakers.
Prosperous Armenia and Rule of Law, which said before the voting that their members are free in their choice, actually cast their ballots in favor of the Republican candidate.
Fifteen lawmakers boycotted the voting. The opposition Armenian National Congress, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun and Heritage said before election that they would not vote.
Though the voting was held in a secret ballot, two of the ANC lawmakers, Nikol Pashinyan and Alexander Arzumanyan, said they would give preference to the opposition candidate. Apparently, two of the three votes cast in Bagratyan’s favor came from their ballot-papers.
Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group member Vahe Hovhannisyan told reporters that he did not take part in the election of Armenian parliament speaker.
Asked if he would have voted for Hrant Bagraryan if he had taken part, Hovhannisyan said:
“No, there is not such a question. It was my conscious decision. The group decided in favor of a free ballot, and I decided not to take part.”
Prosperous Armenia member Stepan Margaryan did not take part in the ballot either. As to his opinion of the most of the group members having supported Galust Sahakyan, Margaryan said:
“I have nothing to say. I am not informed of the results.”
Prosperous Armenia group member Vahe Enfiajyan took part in the free ballot.
As to the accusations of supporting a pro-government candidate Enfijalyan said:
“I can only say that it was a free ballot. I cannot say who and how voted. I know how I voted.”
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