Hopes for Opposition Unity?
As was mentioned on this blog at the beginning of December, for any opposition candidate to stand a chance in challenging the administrative resources of the governmental favorite, Serge Sargsyan, unity is needed. As seen at Saturday’s rally by Orinats Yerkir presidential candidate, Artur Baghdasarian, other political forces represent different layers of society than that supporting the radical opposition and former president, Levon Ter-Petrossian. In particular, however, a catalyst in the form of popular opposition politician, Raffi Hovannisian, is vital.
While EurasiaNet covers hopes for a united opposition bloc this coming Saturday at a rally due to be held at Yerevan’s Liberty Square by Ter-Petrossian coincidentally on the last day for candidates to withdraw their nominations, the pro-government, opposition and more neutral local print media remains unconvinced. However, there is no doubt that the rally will be decisive in one way or another and there’s not long to wait until whether it is or not is known.
“Azg” comments on the possibility of an electoral alliance between opposition candidates Artur Baghdasarian and Levon Ter-Petrosian. “It is clear that right now the question of opposition leadership tops the agenda of the talks [between the two men] and will hardly be answered before this Saturday, February 9, after which nobody will have the right to withdraw their candidacy,” writes the paper. “In that case, the issue of leadership will be automatically solved before the second round., Of course, assuming that there will be a second round.”
“Ter-Petrosian will never withdraw his candidacy in favor of Artur Baghdasarian because 15 parties and organizations have already rallied around him,” says “Hayots Ashkhar.” “For many of them, Baghdasarian’s candidacy is, to put it mildly, unacceptable.” As for Baghdasarian, the paper believes that his possible endorsement of Ter-Petrosian would not be welcomed by most members of his Orinats Yerkir Party. This would only make it easier for Serzh Sarkisian to win the presidential election already in the first round of voting, it says.
“168 Zham” likewise asserts that Ter-Petrosian will not necessarily be backed by every Baghdasarian supporter if he secures the Orinats Yerkir leader’s endorsement. “As Orinats Yerkir’s Yerevan rally demonstrated, Orinats Yerkir’s electorate is not much smaller than Levon Ter-Petrosian’s electorate and is overwhelmingly ‘protestant’ in one way or another,” says the paper. It says many Baghdasarian backers would turn to another candidate or will not vote at all if their leader drops out of the race.
Photo: © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2007
- Published:
- 02.06.08 / 2am by Onnik
- Category:
- Armenia, Armenia Presidential Election 2008, Campaign, Candidates, News Briefs, Opinion, Parties, Rallies
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