Coalition governments in Armenia: Certain forces become opposition all of a sudden (video)
Never has an opposition force become part of a coalition government in the history of the Third Republic of Armenia. The first coalition government in the country was formed in 2003 during the years of tenure of Armenia’s second President Robert Kocharyan. Before his second term, Kocharyan cooperated with different political forces. The first official coalition, comprised of Republican Party of Armenia (HHK), Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun and Country of Law Party (OEK), was formed during the 2003 parliamentary elections. As a rule, the OEK becomes an opposition force before each election. Dashnaks never opposed Robert Kocharyan. The first coalition collapsed in 2006 when the OEK quitted it and again became an opposition force before the next parliamentary election. The second coalition was formed after the 2007 parliamentary elections. The HHK and Gagik Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) were ready to work in the government headed by Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. Dashnaktsutyun joined the coalition government after signing a memorandum of cooperation with the two coalition forces. In 2008, Serzh Sargsyan became President of the Republic of Armenia. Though the head of the Government changed, the composition of the coalition government remained the same. Moreover, the joined the three forces again. Serzh Sargsyan soon began to speak about the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Dashnaks were waiting with patience. In April 2009, Armenia and Turkey signed the notorious Protocols in Zurich aimed at launching the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations without preconditions. The next day, Dahsnaktsutyun left the coalition government. The and BHK continued to second Serzh Sargsyan. In November 2011, the first President makes a political analysis drawing the BHK into the opposition camp. In May 2012, the BHK refuses to become a member of the newly formed coalition government. Republicans and OEK stay together but in 2014, the OEK quits the coalition together with Tigran Sargsyan. In 2014, the HHK became the first big force in Armenia to remain in power alone – something which had not happened in Armenia since 1995. After the constitutional referendum held in the country in December 2015, Dashnaktsutyun again expressed desire to form a coalition government with Republicans. The head of the Republican Party hurried to announce that the terms will be dictated by the HHK.
