A politics based on individuals not ideology Putting forth the nomination of Samvel Balasanyan for the empty post of RA National Assembly Deputy President, was just as normal for the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) as its recent move to remove Arevik Petrosyan from the same spot. Both moves were equally beyond the pale of logic. Samvel Balasanyan, who only this year registered with the PAP after leaving the Rule of Law Party in 2007, is just as “devoted” to the PAP as his predecessor Petrosyan. Just days ago Khachik Galstyan, spokesman for PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan, argued that the Balasanyan nomination was in line with the party’s intention to revitalize its participation in the parliament. As to how Balasanyan, a former Rule of Law member, will revitalize the party is hard to imagine. Perhaps the PAP is counting on Balasanyan’s rhetorical talents and his preference for chest thumping when giving speeches. Such theatrics will come across as even more absurd and pitiful from the podium of the deputy speaker. Balasanyan’s nomination betrays once again the paucity of qualified cadres within the PAP, and this has instigated Gagik Tsarukyan to take illogical steps. This in turn, despite the party’s large number of members and influence, reveals the fact that the party still hasn’t consolidated internally. The other parties in the ruling coalition, the Republican Party and the Rule of Law, face a similar problem. To a great extent, this situation is particular to all political parties in Armenia. In essence what we have in Armenia is politics without parties or parties without politics. Recently, political analyst Armen Badalyan declared in earnest that, “A new force just needs six months to come into being. For this reason experienced specialists are needed to mould and shape that force. It’s not a problem. The creation of a political party is the result of the work carried out by qualified experts.” Mr. Badalyan humbly underestimates our potential. According to official data, there are presently 74 political parties registered with the RA Ministry of Justice. The “Law on Political Parties” was adopted back in 2002. In other words, on average, one new political force in Armenia is created every month. This is why there is no need for experts. Put another way, a new ideology, a new program to save the nation, comes to the fore in Armenia on a monthly basis. Whether or not the public demand for such a plethora of parties exists or not is another question. As a rule, political parties in Armenia are formed to serve the interests of individuals, or they are redirected to do so. For example, oligarchs like Mikayel Baghdasarov or Barsegh Beglaryan can create parties to defend their economic interests. Similarly, the PAP was formed to serve the interests of Gagik Beglaryan, the Rule of Law Party – Artur Baghdasaryan, Republican Party – Serzh Sargsyan, New Times Party – Aram Karapetyan, National Unity Party – Artashes Geghamyan, and so forth. These individuals are not the leaders of the political parties, but rather their owners. The very continued existence of these parties is dependent on the individual owners. They are the ones who decide, based on a host of personal variables, who is appropriate for what government post, etc. PAP parliamentary faction Secretary Aram Safaryan, for example, when speaking about the new nominee for the deputy speaker’s post, said that, “…Mr. Tsarukyan will select a nominee, the political council will ratify the nominee and our public will be informed.” That’s to say the function of the political council is merely to rubber stamp the nominees of the party boss and ratify any decisions from the top. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the leaders of such parties are idols to be worshipped. The entire party would collapse just by bringing down the idol. Just as it has become so easy to create a party, it is equally easy to bring about its ruin. For example, Republican Party council member Razmik Zohrabyan states with all due conviction that if they had wanted to weaken the PAP it would have happened. And this, in fact, is the reality of the matter. All it would take is to constrain Gagik Tsarukyan with a few choice compromising factors and the PAP, in practice, would turn into a political corpse and the next rat race competition would begin. The Rule of Law Party lived that nightmare in 2007 when, after having discredited Artur Baghdasaryan and stripping him of the post of National Assembly President, the party stood at the precipice. In the same fashion, the National Democratic Union, National Unity and the Constitutional Rights Union have been relegated to the sidelines. In the public consciousness, the political struggle has been transformed into a continuing struggle among individuals. Average citizens do not say that the Republican Party and the PAP are battling it out, or that the HAK and the Republican Party are in competition. Rather they identify the leaders; Serzh Sargsyan vs. Gagik Tsarukyan, or Levon Ter-Petrosyan vs. Serzh Sargsyan. As a result, political parties formed on an ideological basis lose their public relevance and are quickly marginalized. In essence, then, what we are faced with in the political arena is a complete process of non-ideology. All parties created on an ideological basis, without exception, are facing a serious crisis. As yet, there is no foreseeable exit strategy. On the national conservative front, the ARF finds itself in this morass. On the national liberal front there is the Heritage Party; The HHZh (Armenian National Movement). And then there’s the Communist Party on the socialist front. Given the level of public perception, none of these ideologically based parties can, by themselves, garner the 5% vote ceiling needed in the 2012 parliamentary elections. Instead, the National Assembly will almost totally be full of Balasanyan’s and his ilk. No one will ever ask them why there was a need to replace National Assembly President Tigran Torosyan with someone like Hovik Abrahamyan, or Arevik Petrosyan with Samvel Balasanyan. What will be required is not to forget who the owners are and when is the most opportune time to replace them.