President of Artsakh
The president of Artsakh is the head of state and head of government of the de facto Republic of Artsakh.
President of the Republic of Artsakh
Արցախի հանրապետության նախագահ (Armenian) | |
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Status | Head of state Head of government |
Residence | Presidential Palace |
Seat | Stepanakert |
Appointer | Direct popular vote |
Term length | 5 years, renewable once |
Inaugural holder | Robert Kocharyan |
Formation | 29 December 1994 |
Website | www |
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Artsakh |
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In a constitutional referendum held in 2017, citizens of the Republic voted in favor of transforming Artsakh into a presidential system.
Former Prime Minister and State Minister Arayik Harutyunyan is the incumbent president elected in 2020 Artsakhian general election.[1][2]
Constitutional powers
As a republic with presidential system, Artsakh grants significant power to the President who controls the executive branch, represents the country abroad and appoints the ministers. The president is also the commander-in-chief of the Artsakh Defense Army and has the right to appoint and dismiss the supreme command of the armed forces and other troops.
Article 93 of the current constitution determines the functions of the president based on which the president:
- Shall administer the domestic and foreign policies of the State;
- Shall exercise general management of the bodies of the state administration system;
- Shall define the structure and rules of operation of the Government and other state bodies ;
- Shall appoint and dismiss the state minister and ministers;
- Shall administer state property and finances;
- Shall make appointments to the state positions, in cases prescribed by law;
- May form advisory bodies;
- Shall represent the Republic of Artsakh in international relations, sign international treaties, present international agreements to the National Assembly for ratification and sign their ratification forms, approve, suspend or revoke the international agreements not requiring ratification;
- Shall appoint and recall the diplomatic representatives of the Republic of Artsakh to foreign countries and international organizations; receive the credentials and letters of recall of diplomatic representatives of foreign states and international organizations;
- May issue decree on not holding elections and referendum during martial law;
- May dissolve the National Assembly except for one-year period following the opening of the first parliamentary session, in times of war and emergency as well as when he/she, during martial law, has issued a decree on not holding elections;
- Shall apply to the President of the National Assembly with a proposal to convene a special session or sitting of the National Assembly;
- Shall submit the Draft State Budget to the National Assembly;
- Shall have the right to legislative initiative;
- Shall apply to the National Assembly with a recommendation of amnesty;
- May deliver an address to the people and the National Assembly;
- Shall submit to the National Assembly an annual communication on the implementation progress and results of his/her Program of previous year and on the Program of following year;
- Shall propose to the National Assembly a candidate for the Prosecutor General; at the recommendation of the Prosecutor General, shall appoint and dismiss the Deputy Prosecutor Generals;
- Shall appoint one member-lawyer of the Supreme Judicial Council;
- In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency situations, shall take measures appropriate to the situation and address the people on that matter; if necessary, shall declare state of emergency;
- Shall decorate with orders and medals of the Republic of Artsakh and confere the highest military and honorary titles, the highest diplomatic and other class ranks;
- Shall decide on the issue of granting pardon to convicts under the procedure prescribed by law;
- Shall, in the cases and under the procedure prescribed by law, decide on issues in respect of granting and terminating citizenship of the Republic of Artsakh;
- Shall adopt normative and individual legal acts: such as decrees and executive orders.[3]
Election
Requirements
The Constitution of Artsakh requires that the President should be at least 35-years-old, being a citizen of only of the Republic of Artsakh for the preceding ten years and having resided permanently only in Artsakh at least preceding ten years.[4]
Term limits
The president is elected in a five year term and can be reelected only once.[5]
List of Heads of State (1992–present)
Chairmen of the Supreme Council (1992–1994)
No. | Image | Name (Born–Died) |
Elected | Took Office | Left Office | Time In Office | Party |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Artur Mkrtchyan (1959–1992) |
1992 1993 |
7 January 1992 | 14 April 1992 | 98 days | ARF | |
– | Georgi Petrosian (1952–) (acting) |
1992 1993 |
15 April 1992 | 14 June 1993 | 1 year, 60 days | ARF | |
– | Karen Baburyan (1954–2011) (acting) |
1993 1994 |
14 June 1993 | 29 December 1994 | 1 year, 198 days | Independent | |
Presidents (1994–present)
No. | Image | Name (Born-Died) |
Term | Political Party | Elected | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
1 | Robert Kocharyan (born 1954) | 29 December 1994 | 20 March 1997 | 2 years, 81 days | Independent | 1996 | |
– | Leonard Petrosyan (1952–1999) Acting | 20 March 1997 | 8 September 1997 | 172 days | Independent | – | |
2 | Arkadi Ghukasyan (born 1957) | 8 September 1997 | 7 September 2007 | 9 years, 364 days | Independent | 1997 2002 | |
3 | Bako Sahakyan (born 1959) | 7 September 2007 | 21 May 2020 | 12 years, 257 days | Independent | 2007 2012 2017 | |
4 | Arayik Harutyunyan (born 1973) | 21 May 2020 | Incumbent | 259 days | Free Motherland | 2020 |
Latest election
Candidate | Party / Alliance | First round | Second round | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
Arayik Harutyunyan | Free Motherland - UCA Alliance | 36,076 | 49.17 | 39,860 | 88.01 | |
Masis Mayilyan | Independent | 19,360 | 26.39 | 5,428 | 11.99 | |
Vitaly Balasanyan | Justice | 10,855 | 14.79 | |||
David Ishkhanyan | Armenian Revolutionary Federation | 1,873 | 2.55 | |||
Ashot Ghulian | Democratic Party of Artsakh | 1,683 | 2.29 | |||
Hayk Khanumyan | National Revival | 962 | 1.31 | |||
Vahan Badasyan | United Armenia Party | 743 | 1.01 | |||
David Babayan | Artsakh Conservative Party | 587 | 0.80 | |||
Ruslan Israelyan | Generation of Independence Party | 371 | 0.51 | |||
Christine Balayan | Independent | 202 | 0.28 | |||
Ashot Dadayan | Independent | 198 | 0.27 | |||
Bella Lalayan | Independent | 162 | 0.22 | |||
Sergey Amiryan | Independent | 160 | 0.22 | |||
Melsik Poghosyan | Independent | 141 | 0.19 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 2,622 | – | 1,876 | – | ||
Total | 75,995 | 100 | 47,164 | 100 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 104,866 | 72.47 | 104,777 | 45.01 | ||
Source: CEC, CEC |
References
- "Arayik Harutyunyan sworn in as Artsakh's fourth President". Public Radio of Armenia. 2020-05-21. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
- LLC, Helix Consulting. "Arayik Harutyunyan assumes post of President of the Republic of Artsakh - aysor.am - Hot news from Armenia". www.aysor.am. Retrieved 2020-05-21.
- "National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh| Official Web Site| nankr.am". www.nankr.am. Retrieved 2019-01-06.
- Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh, article 48, paragraph 2
- Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh, article 88