Way Out Alliance
Way Out Alliance «Ելք» դաշինք | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader |
Edmon Marukyan Nikol Pashinyan Aram Sargsyan |
| Founded | December 12, 2016 |
| Merger of |
Bright Armenia Civil Contract Republic |
| Ideology |
Liberalism[1] Pro-Europeanism Anti-EAEU[2] |
| Political position | Centre[3] |
| Colors | Orange |
| National Assembly |
9 / 105 |
| Yerevan City Council |
14 / 65 |
The "Way Out" Alliance (Armenian: «Ելք» դաշինք, ԵԼՔ; "YELQ" Dashinq, YELQ) or "Yelq" Alliance or simply "Yelq" or "Way Out" is a liberal political party alliance in Armenia. It was formed by the merger of Civil Contract, Bright Armenia and Republic political parties on 12 December, 2016[4], before 2017 Armenian parliamentary election. The leaders are Edmon Marukyan (leader of "Bright Armenia" party), Nikol Pashinyan (leader of "Civil Contract" party) and Aram Sargsyan (leader of "Republic" party and former Prime Minister of Armenia for a short time, 6 months in 1999-2000).
Ideology
The "Way Out" Alliance's ideology is based on liberalism. In terms of foreign relations of Armenia, the alliance states that Armenia's decision to join Eurasian Economic Union was wrong and had negative impact on the country. The alliance proposed to renegotiate with EU on signing the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement.[5]
Electoral record
Parliamentary elections
On 2 April 2017 the alliance participated in 2017 Armenian parliamentary election with Edmon Marukyan as the leader of the alliance and won 9 seats out of 105 in National Assembly.
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 122,049 | 7.78 | 9 / 105 |
No |
Local elections
Yerevan City Council elections
After parliamentary elections it participated in 2017 Yerevan City Council election. The alliance's candidate for the Mayor of Yerevan was Nikol Pashinyan[6]. However the alliance won only 14 seats out of 65 in Yerevan City Council and Nikol Pashinyan gave up his mandate of City Council and continued his work in National Assembly as a MP[7][8].
| Election | Mayor candidate | Votes | % | Seats in City Council |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | |
|
|
14 / 65 |
References
- ↑ Armenia 2017: An introduction to the party-political landscape European Friends of Armenia, March 2017
- ↑ Armenia elections: YELQ program taps army reform, EU association PanArmenian.Net, 6 March 2017
- ↑ Armenians Vote as Nation Shifts Toward Parliamentary Governance voanews.com, 1 April 2017
- ↑ New Opposition Bloc Formed in Armenia The Armenian Weekly, 24 January 2017
- ↑ Foreign Policy Discourse EVN Report, 16 March 2017
- ↑ Nikol Pashinyan is Yerevan mayoral candidate of opposition Yelk Bloc News.am, 7 April 2017
- ↑ Nikol Pashinyan Headed for Parliament, Not Yerevan Council hetq.am, 15 May 2017
- ↑ Nikol Pashinyan decides to take parliamentary mandate News.am, 15 May 2017
