Armenians Disappointed With Democratic Structures

Centre for Public Opinion and Democracy, Canada
Dec 6 2004

(CPOD) Dec. 6, 2004 – Many residents of Armenia are unhappy with thir
country’s outlook, according to a poll by the International
Foundation for Election Systems (IFES). 69 per cent of respondents
are dissatisfied with the overall situation in their country.

According to a Human Rights Watch report, hundreds of demonstrators
were detained in April and May during a series of protests against
the government. The offices of at least three opposition political
parties were raided.

President Robert Kocharyan was re-elected to a new four-year term in
March 2003 in an election marred by fraud allegations. 52 per cent of
respondents believe Armenia is not a democracy.

The Nagorno-Karabakh region is controlled by ethnic Armenians—who
consider the area an independent republic—but is claimed by
Azerbaijan as part of its territory. A war broke out in the early
1990s between both nations, ending in an unofficial truce negotiated
by Russia in 1994. Kocharyan was born in Nagorno-Karabakh and once
headed its government. Armenia is the only country that recognizes
Nagorno-Karabakh as a sovereign state.

Polling Data

Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the overall situation in the
country?

Satisfied
28%

Dissatisfied
69%

Is Armenia a democracy?

Not a democracy
52%

A democracy
12%

Both
31%

Don’t know
5%

Source: International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES)
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews to 1,606 Armenian adults,
conducted from Aug. 4 to Aug. 19, 2004. Margin of error is 2.4 per
cent.

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