As of January 1, 2009, there were nine officially registered political parties in the RMK. Four of the nine parties are represented in the country's national assembly - Azat Hayrenik, Sharzhum 88, Artsakh Zhoghovrdakan and the Dashnaktsutyun (ARF). Prior to the recent reshufflings in the parliament, Artsakh Zhoghovrdakan had a majority in the legislature while it is Azat Hayrenik that does so today. For the most part, these political parties are quite inactive, especially in the realm of local elections. During 2008, local elections were contested in 42 communities throughout the RMK. 65 nominees on the ballots were independent, 5 belonged to the Artsakh Zhoghovrdakan Party and just 2 to the ARF. Davit Ishkhanyan, a representative of the ARF's Central Committee in Artsakh, during an interview with the party's official newspaper "Aparazh" stressed the importance of the participation of political parties in the electoral process and stated that Alyusha Gabrielyan, a member of the ARF's Central Committee, would be running for the post of Askeran community leader.