My Step Alliance

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My Step Alliance
«Իմ Քայլը» դաշինք
LeaderNikol Pashinyan
Founded1 August 2018 (2018-08-01)
DissolvedMay 2021[1]
HeadquartersYerevan
IdeologyLiberal democracy[2][3]
Neoliberalism[4][5][6][7]
Reformism[8]
Political positionCentre[9][10]
Alliance ofCivil Contract
Mission Party
Colours  Red
  Blue
Slogan"Happy individual, caring society, strong state"[11]
Website
Official website

The My Step Alliance (Armenian: Իմ Քայլը դաշինք, romanized: Im k’ayly dashink’, IKD) was a political alliance in Armenia formed by the Civil Contract party, the Mission Party and various independent representatives of civil society. It was formed in August 2018, before the 2018 Yerevan City Council election. The leader of the alliance was the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. Despite its dissolution as a national party in May 2021, the My Step Alliance operated in the Yerevan City Council until the end of its mandate in September 2023.[12]

History[edit]

First logo of the alliance used for the Yerevan City Council election

On 31 March, at the beginning of the 2018 Armenian revolution, Nikol Pashinyan and a group of supporters began a march from Gyumri, Armenia's second largest city. The campaign, named "My Step", was declared with the intention to prevent Serzh Sargsyan's election as prime minister on 17 April.[13]

On 23 September 2018, the alliance participated in the 2018 Yerevan City Council election with Hayk Marutyan as a candidate for Mayor and won 57 seats out of 65 in the Yerevan City Council.

The alliance ran in the 2018 Armenian parliamentary election.[14] They won 88 of 132 seats, gaining a ruling majority in the National Assembly.

The alliance dissolved in May 2021, following an announcement that Civil Contract would participate in the 2021 Armenian parliamentary elections independently.[15]

The alliance, however, continued governing in the Yerevan City Council until the end of its mandate. Following the 2023 Yerevan City Council elections, the alliance had completely dissolved.

Ideology[edit]

The coalition was perceived as maintaining a big tent ideology rather than supporting any one particular political position.[16][17]
The coalition's main focus was on anti-corruption efforts while developing Armenia's civil society and democracy and promoting the economic development of the country. However, Nikol Pashinyan has been described as a centrist politician with a liberal outlook. In terms of foreign policy, before coming to power, Pashinyan was a skeptic of Russia. However, following his victory, Pashinyan changed his official opinion and opted to maintain strong relations between Armenia and Russia. Despite this, Pashinyan also supported the development of bilateral relations with the European Union and the United States.[18]

Composition[edit]

The alliance was composed of the following parties, as well as some independents.

Party Ideology Position Leader
Civil Contract Liberalism, Reforism, Populism Centre Nikol Pashinyan
Mission Party Liberalism Centre Manuk Sukiasyan

Electoral record[edit]

Parliamentary elections[edit]

Election Votes % Seats Position Government
2018 884,456 70.43
88 / 132
 Steady 1st Government

Local elections[edit]

Yerevan City Council elections[edit]

Election Mayor candidate Votes % Seats in City Council
2018
Hayk Marutyan
294,109
81.06%
57 / 65

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Civil Contract to go it alone in snap parliamentary elections – Lilit Makunts".
  2. ^ Zolyan, Mikael (16 May 2018). "What to Expect from Armenia's New Leader". Carnegie Moscow Center. Pashinyan and his circle are generally perceived in Armenia as representatives of the liberal-democratic wing.
  3. ^ Liakhov, Peter (June 2018). "The End of Armenia's Old Regime". Jacobin. In reality, the pledges of his government have shown the new regime to be firmly within the tradition of European liberalism: promising free, fair, and transparent elections, alongside the dismantling of corrupt state structures and economic monopolies and their replacement with meritocratic institutions and market mechanisms.
  4. ^ Martirosyan, Samson (10 June 2019). "Free Doesn't Mean Just: Defeat of Pashinyan Party Candidate in Abovyan Mayoral Election Highlights Weakness of Government's "Me-Centric" Neo-Liberalism". Hetq. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Pashinyan to Wealthy Foreign Investors: "Our policy motto is to get rich and enrich"". Armenian Weekly. 24 January 2019. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  6. ^ Melkonian, Markar (25 May 2018). "Armenia: No Organization, No Real Change". Hetq.
  7. ^ Yegparian, Garen (12 October 2018). "Revolutionary Elections?". Asbarez.
  8. ^ "Armenia election: reformist PM Nikol Pashinian wins convincing victory". The Guardian. 10 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Armenia election: PM Nikol Pashinyan wins by landslide". BBC News. 10 December 2018. ...the centrist My Step Alliance, which includes Mr Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party...
  10. ^ "Armenia PM's bloc takes lead in snap parliamentary polls: early results". Agence France-Presse. 10 December 2018. The centrist My Step bloc also includes the Mission Party headed by rights activist Manuk Sukiasyan.
  11. ^ "The motto of "My Step" bloc is "Happy individual, caring society - strong state"". «Ազատ Եվրոպա/Ազատություն» Ռադիոկայան. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  12. ^ ""My Step" faction of the Yerevan Council of Elders nominates Hrachya Sargsyan for the post of Mayor | ARMENPRESS Armenian News Agency". armenpress.am. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  13. ^ Gabrielian, Sisak; Kaghzvantsian, Satenik (2 April 2018). "Armenian Opposition Group Starts Walking Tour In Regime Change Bid". RFE/RL.
  14. ^ Armenia acting PM: We most likely will run in snap parliamentary election with My Step alliance
  15. ^ "Civil Contract to go it alone in snap parliamentary elections – Lilit Makunts".
  16. ^ Avinyan, Tigran (23 November 2018). "Այսօր իրականում 23.11.18" (in Armenian). Armenian Public TV. 22:20 այո, կան չափավոր ձախականներ, չափավոր աջականներ, չափավոր կոնսերվատորներ, չափավոր ազատականներ
  17. ^ Edwards, Maxim (13 December 2018). "Armenia's Revolution Will Not be Monopolized". Foreign Policy.
  18. ^ "Armenian snap elections seen as the final chapter of the Velvet Revolution". Europe Elects. 4 December 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2019.

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