Armenian election commission cancels registration of 39 parliamentary candidates after withdrawal

Armenia's Central Electoral Commission (CEC) on Tuesday canceled the registration of 39 parliamentary candidates after they formally withdrew from party lists following the June 7 National Assembly elections.

The decision was adopted during a regular session of the commission, which considered two agenda items: revoking the registration of candidates who had submitted withdrawal requests and preparing the official protocol for registering members of parliament and issuing mandates.

The ruling Civil Contract party accounted for the majority of the withdrawals, with 27 candidates declining their parliament seats. Those whose registrations were revoked are Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, Health Minister Anahit Avanesyan, Defense Minister Suren Papikyan, Gevorg Papoyan, Srbuhi Galyan, Arsen Torosyan, National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan, Lilit Makunts, Davit Khudatyan, Romanos Petrosyan, Aren Mkrtchyan, Gnel Sanosyan, Tigran Avinyan, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Milada Hovhannisyan, Sergey Movsisyan, Hayk Ghalumyan, Vagharshak Hakobyan, Vahe Hovhannisyan, Hambardzum Matevosyan, Vahram Khachatryan, Tavros Sapeyan, Davit Arushanyan, Karen Sargsyan, Vahagn Arsenyan and Sedrak Tevonyan.

Eleven candidates from the Strong Armenia alliance also withdrew. They are Gohar Meloyan, Avetis Arakelyan, Liya Shushanyan, Artur Danielyan, Aleksandr Sargsyan, Karen Kokhlikyan, Arshavir Khachatryan, Davit Ayvazyan, Robert Dilbaryan, Hovhannes Yeganyan and Simon Babayan.

The Hayastan (Armenia) alliance reported the withdrawal of its leader, former President Robert Kocharyan.

CEC member Anna Grigoryan, who presented the matter to the commission, said the decision revoking the candidates' registrations took effect immediately upon publication.