Free Motherland | |
Headquarters: | Stepanakert |
Country: | Artsakh |
Native Name: | Ազատ Հայրենիք Կուսակցություն Azat Hayrenik Kusaktsutyun |
Leader1 Title: | Co-Presidents |
Leader1 Name: | Arayik Harutyunyan Arthur Tovmasyan Rudik Hyusnunts Arpat Avanesyan |
Founded: | 29 January 2005 |
Newspaper: | Akunk |
Ideology: | Armenian nationalism[1] |
Position: | Centre-right |
National: | Free Motherland - UCA Alliance |
Colors: | Orange |
Seats1 Title: | National Assembly |
Free Motherland (Armenian: «Ազատ Հայրենիք» կուսակցություն, Azat Hayrenik kusaktsutyun) abbreviated as ԱՀԿ or AHK was a political party in Artsakh. The party was formed on 29 January 2005. Initially, the party consisted of four co-presidents: Arayik Harutyunyan, Arthur Tovmasyan, Rudik Hyusnunts and Arpat Avanesyan.
The party was founded on 29 January 2005. The chairman of the party is former Prime Minister Araik Harutyunyan. The party participated in the 2005 Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, after which the party received 10 out of 33 seats in the National Assembly.
Following the 2010 Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, the party won 14 seats in the National Assembly, both in direct and proportional electoral systems. The head of the faction was Gagik Petrosyan.
Following the 2015 Nagorno-Karabakh parliamentary election, the Free Motherland Party won 47.3% of the vote and together with those elected by the majority system, received 15 seats and made up a parliamentary majority. The head of the faction is Arthur Tovmasyan.
The party participated in 2020 Artsakhian general election as part of the Free Motherland - UCA Alliance,[2] [3] which won 16 seats out of 33 in the National Assembly.[4]
Year | Alliance | Party-list | Constituency /total | Total seats | +/– | ||
Votes | % | Seats /total | |||||
2005 | none | 11,258 | 18.48% | new | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | 29,252 | 44.2% | 4 | ||||
2015 | 32,632 | 47.35% | 1 | ||||
2020 | part of Free Motherland - UCA Alliance | 29,688 | 40.43% | 1 | |||
The program of the party is a document expressing the national interests of the Artsakh people, their freedom, security and the right to self-determination. The party is a political association of the NKR on a voluntary basis. Objectives include:a) together with like-minded people to improve social justice,b) to revive the people's faith in their own strengths and a brighter future,c) create conditions for the formation of the middle class,d) promote the spiritual revival of the people and increase the role of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
The party maintains a centre-right ideology. The party advocates for a national and religious identity, economic development, preservation of language, educational system reform, and supports cultural patriotism and military spirit. The main difference from other Armenian and Artsakh parties is the support of economic development over democratic transformations. The party believes that economic development will help to achieve Artsakh's independence, while strengthening the establishment of civil society and democracy.
Important decisions of the party are made up by a Central Council consisting of 55 persons, by either open or closed voting: