Tweet
ARMENIA RULING PARTY RETAINS GRIP ON POWER
Gulf Times
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=503903&version=1&templ ate_id=39&parent_id=21
May 7 2012
Qatar
President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party will keep its grip on
power after a parliamentary election in Armenia yesterday, an exit poll
showed after voting ended in the South Caucasus country. The exit poll
released by Gallup International Association put the party on course
to win more than 44% of the votes in an election that passed off
without any of the violence that marred the last national poll in 2008.
Its main partner in the previous coalition, the Prosperous Armenia
party led by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, was trailing in second place
on nearly 29% of the votes, it showed. "It's clear who has won,"
Gallup's Andrey Raychev told Armenia TV, which published the exit
poll. He said the Central Election Commission is expected to start
receiving the first results from regional polling stations across
the country of 3.3mn by midnight.
More than 300 international observers from the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe monitored voting and will give
their initial verdict today. One observer said privately there had
been some violations, but it was not clear how widespread or serious
they were. Ink stamps on the passports of people who had already
voted had disappeared within 15 minutes, giving them the chance to
vote again, the observer, who did not want to be named, said, citing
several such reports.
The exit poll suggested three parties apart from the big two were
likely to win the 5% of votes needed to enter parliament.
The Armenian National Congress, an opposition coalition led by former
president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, might also cross the 7% threshold set
for blocs of parties to win seats, it showed. The Central Election
Commission said turnout had passed 51.53% three hours before the
polls close.
There were no reports of violence, an encouraging sign for a country
that wants stability to boost the economy, devastated by a war with
neighbouring Azerbaijan in the 1990s and then the 2008-2009 global
financial crisis.
Gulf Times
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=503903&version=1&templ ate_id=39&parent_id=21
May 7 2012
Qatar
President Serzh Sarksyan's Republican Party will keep its grip on
power after a parliamentary election in Armenia yesterday, an exit poll
showed after voting ended in the South Caucasus country. The exit poll
released by Gallup International Association put the party on course
to win more than 44% of the votes in an election that passed off
without any of the violence that marred the last national poll in 2008.
Its main partner in the previous coalition, the Prosperous Armenia
party led by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, was trailing in second place
on nearly 29% of the votes, it showed. "It's clear who has won,"
Gallup's Andrey Raychev told Armenia TV, which published the exit
poll. He said the Central Election Commission is expected to start
receiving the first results from regional polling stations across
the country of 3.3mn by midnight.
More than 300 international observers from the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe monitored voting and will give
their initial verdict today. One observer said privately there had
been some violations, but it was not clear how widespread or serious
they were. Ink stamps on the passports of people who had already
voted had disappeared within 15 minutes, giving them the chance to
vote again, the observer, who did not want to be named, said, citing
several such reports.
The exit poll suggested three parties apart from the big two were
likely to win the 5% of votes needed to enter parliament.
The Armenian National Congress, an opposition coalition led by former
president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, might also cross the 7% threshold set
for blocs of parties to win seats, it showed. The Central Election
Commission said turnout had passed 51.53% three hours before the
polls close.
There were no reports of violence, an encouraging sign for a country
that wants stability to boost the economy, devastated by a war with
neighbouring Azerbaijan in the 1990s and then the 2008-2009 global
financial crisis.