Monday, 07 October 2024

E Editorial

Elections of the City Council: race or competition?

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The main tests in the years of Armenia's independence were presidential and parliamentary elections. During the elections, teams were formed that somehow tried to win or at least be present in the parliament or get settled in the immediate surroundings of the future president. During the elections, the team provided services and expected compensation. This was the main intrigue of the political life of Armenia and the cause of the country's misfortunes.

People who took to the streets in April this year wanted to end this vicious circle. In any case, it was announced on the square as a goal, and what internal problems was solving and / or what was hidden in the depths of the soul of every person involved in the revolution, is incomprehensible. Part of the participants, of course, was full of youth romanticism and patriotism. The other part was looking for a good opportunity to equip their lives. It is natural. However, the problem is how much the first part will be swallowed by emotions and the "patriotism" of the second part.

Four months after the revolution, Yerevan City Council elections are the main rehearsal for possible parliamentary elections. Will there be a revolutionary pathos during the elections, or will group and personal interests, sprinkled with eastern passions and unscrupulousness, make us forget about the slogans of the revolution? Here the following question arises: is the revolution over, and we are entering the traditional Armenian pre-election race, or, conversely, the revolution enters a new, decisive phase.

The sense of success of Western civilization is that people do not hide from themselves and look at reality with their eyes open, clearly saying that at the heart of everything lies interest. And they try to balance their interests with the interests of others and come to a common agreement. In such an irrational eastern country as Armenia, traditionally everyone hides his/her interests with some kind of "noble" idea and convinces him/herself by doing so. There is a certain feeling that always manifests itself, regardless of the ruling regime. The RPA tried to use the name Nzhdeh to "brainwash" the public and give out simple egoism of its members for ardent patriotism, and some are now trying to use revolutionary pathos to hide their simple interests.

An example of Western civilization suggests that it is time to enter the realm of rationality and instead of dividing people into black and white, to present to the public a very clear program in which everyone will see their own interests and as a public compromise - the limit of their concessions and based on them personal obligations. The success of the revolution can be found in the field of clarity and pragmatism.

Elections should not be a race for victory at any cost, but competition for ideas.

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The Armenian Center for National and International Studies

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Yerevan, Armenia

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