Thousands of Armenians have followed runner-up Raffi Hovhannisyan’s call to challenge the official election results as opposition groups seek to gain traction against Sargsyan’s rule. Ten people died after the president’s success five years ago triggered clashes between protesters and police on March 1, 2008. Hovhannisyan laid flowers at the scene today.
.On 26 February 2013, the Regional Studies Center (RSC) held a special presentation and discussion assessing the current post-election crisis in Armenia. Most significantly, the presentation was followed by an interactive role-play and scenario-based exercise, with participants dividing into smaller groups representing the opposition and the government, in order to formulate and present possible tactics and strategy for both sides. The presentation from the event is attached.
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The recent re-election of Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan has seen large protests in the South Caucasus country, and this week's guest for Monday Talk says the opposition to Sarksyan is growing. “The official election results are challenged by many, but more importantly, the current political struggle is less about the specific results, and more about the opposition to the current government,” said Richard Giragosian, founding director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC), an independent think tank located in Armenia's capital of Yerevan.
.Incumbent Serzh Sargsyan garners over 58 percent of vote, official results show, amid claims of voting violations.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2013/02/20132193310739789.html
.Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is poised for victory in elections next week after rivals withdrew from a campaign that’s been dominated by one candidate’s attempted assassination and another’s hunger strike.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-02-15/armenian-leader-poised-to-win-vote-clouded-by-shooting
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