Prosperous Armenia

Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP; Armenian: Բարգավաճ Հայաստան կուսակցություն, romanized: Bargavatch Hayastan kusaktsut’yun, abbreviated as ԲՀԿ BHK), is a conservative political party in Armenia.[8] It was founded by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan on 30 April 2004, when the constituent congress of the party took place.[9]

Prosperous Armenia Բարգավաճ Հայաստան Կուսակցություն
Leader	Gagik Tsarukyan
Founded	30 April 2004
Headquarters	Yerevan
Ideology	Economic liberalism[1] Social conservatism[1] Pro-Russia[2][3] Euroscepticism[4][5]
Political position	Centre-right[6]
European affiliation	Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe[7]
National Assembly	26 / 132
Website
http://www.bhk.am/
Politics of Armenia Political parties Elections

Armenia's second president Robert Kocharyan was instrumental in creation of the party[10] (some claiming Kocharyan himself established it).[11] Kocharyan's influence and role in the party is a subject of debate. In 2012 "most analysts" believed Kocharyan was "closely involved in the party."[12] Some "believe that Kocharyan is the secret leader of the party",[13] while others believe he has no influence over PAP.[14]

Ideology

The party maintains a Pro-Russian ideology and is the only outspokenly Eurosceptic party in Armenia. The party advocates for the preservation of national and traditional values, families, and church and state relations as the most important priorities.[15] The party also claims to support building stronger democratic and neighborly relations within the Caucasus region and with Moldova, Belarus, Ukraine and Central Asia. Despite being a Pro-Russian party, Prosperous Armenia does believe in maintaining strong relations and economic partnership with the European Union.[16]

Power base

According to sociologist Karen Sargsyan the party base largely consists of provincial rural population.[17] Kotayk Province is widely considered its stronghold. During the 2012 parliamentary election, Prosperous Armenia came first and won around 47.5% of the vote in that province, well above the national average of 30%.[18] While in the 28th electoral district, which includes the city of Abovyan and several surrounding villages, the party won over 71%.[19]

Electoral record

It debuted in the 2007 Armenian parliamentary elections, winning 18 seats and 14.68% of the votes, making it the second largest political party in parliament. In the 2012 Armenian parliamentary elections, it more than doubled its share of the vote to 30.12%, winning 37 seats and solidifying its position as the main opposition party. Following the 2018 Armenian parliamentary election, Prosperous Armenia lost five seats but was still the second largest party in the National Assembly and one of the two official opposition parties, the other being Bright Armenia.

Percentage of votes won by Prosperous Armenia by electoral district in the 2018 Armenian parliamentary election.

Parliamentary elections

Year	Party-list			Constituency /total	Total seats	+/–
	Votes	%	Seats /total
2007	204,483	15.1%	18 / 90	8 / 41	26 / 131	new
2012	454,673	30.12%	28 / 90	9 / 41	37 / 131	11
2017*	428,965	27.35%	31 / 105	—		6
2018[20][21]	103,824	8.27%	26 / 132	—		5

* As part of Tsarukyan Alliance

Presidential elections

Year	Candidate	Votes	%	Rank
2008	endorsed Serzh Sargsyan
2013	did not participate

Yerevan City Council elections

Election	Mayor candidate	Votes	%	Seats in City Council
2009	Arman Vardanyan	89,131	22.65%	17 / 65
2013	Vartan Oskanian	97,189	23.07%	17 / 65
2017	—
2018	Naira Zohrabyan	25,218	6.95%	5 / 65

See also

• Politics of Armenia
• Programs of political parties in Armenia

References

1. "Armenia 2012: An introduction to the political party landscape" (PDF). European Friends of Armenia. 2012. pp. 9–10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2016.
2. Zasztowt, Konrad (9 April 2013). "Armenia between European and Eurasian Integration Models". Warsaw: Polish Institute of International Affairs. p. 1. Retrieved 8 June 2014. ...the pro-Russian party Prosperous Armenia.
3. Khachatrian, Haroutiun (9 May 2007). "Armenia and Russia Agree: Foreign Policy Change Unlikely After Elections". eurasianet.org. Open Society Institute. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 31 January 2015. Prosperous Armenia Party, an avowedly pro-Russian stance.
4. Danielyan, Emil (21 March 2017). "Tsarukian Endorsed By Eurosceptic EU Politicians". azatutyun.am. RFE/RL.
5. Rowley, Thomas (24 May 2019). "Why are so many Brexiteer politicians cosying up to this Armenian oligarch?". openDemocracy.
6. "The political framework of Armenia". Lloyds Bank.
7. "Prosperous Armenia joins AECR". Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
8. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2007). "Armenia". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 27 August 2011.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
9. Fuller, Liz (April 19, 2007). "Armenia: Election Campaign Gets Off To Uneasy Start". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
10. Hale, Henry (2014). Patronal Politics. Cambridge University Press. p. 357. ...Prosperous Armenia was a kind of political insurance policy by Kocharian...
11. "Ashotyan: speech of Armenian president came as response to blackmail, ignorance and stupidity". ARKA News Agency. 13 February 2015. «Prosperous Armenia party was established as a political project of Robert Kocharyan, the second Armenian president, to divide the power resource and ensure the presence of the second president on the country's political arena,» Ashotyan said.
12. Harutyunyan, Vahe (14 December 2012). "Armenian Opposition Party Shuns Key Election". Institute for War and Peace Reporting.
13. "Prosperous Armenia leader undisposed to run for presidency". ARKA News Agency. 21 November 2012.
14. "Robert Kocharyan has no relation to Prosperous Armenia - Iskandaryan". news.am. 14 January 2014.
15. http://www.bhk.am/en/charter-program
16. http://www.bhk.am/en/charter-program
17. "Realpolitik Կարեն Սարգսյանի հետ" (in Armenian). 1in.am. 14 February 2015. around 6:00
18. "Բարգավաճ Հայաստան Կուսակցության մարզերում ստացած ձայներն՝ ըստ տոկոսների". armlur.am (in Armenian). 14 May 2012.
19. http://res.elections.am/images/doc/resultarm06.05.12.xls
20. "ԿԸՀ-ն ամփոփել է 2010 ընտրատեղամասերի արդյունքները, «Իմ քայլը» ստացել է ձայների 70,43 տոկոսը". «Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» ռադիոկայան. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
21. "ՀՀ 7-րդ գումարման ազգային ժողովում կլինի 132 պատգամավոր. "Իմ քայլը" դաշինքը կունենա 88 մանդատ, ԲՀԿ-ն՝ 26, ԼՀԿ-ն՝ 18". www.tert.am. Retrieved 11 December 2018.