ive divisions:
11 provinces (marzer, singular - marz); Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir,
Geghark'unik', Kotayk', Lorri, Shirak, Syunik', Tavush, Vayots'
Dzor, Yerevan
Independence:
21 September 1991 (from Soviet Union)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 21 September (1991)
Constitution:
adopted by nationwide referendum 5 July 1995; amendments adopted
through a nationwide referendum 27 November 2005
Legal system:
based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Serzh SARGSIAN (since 9 April 2008)
head of government: Prime Minister Tigran SARGSIAN (since 9 April
2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term
(eligible for a second term); election last held 19 February 2008
(next to be held February 2013); prime minister appointed by the
president based on majority or plurality support in parliament; the
prime minister and Council of Ministers must resign if the National
Assembly refuses to accept their program
election results: Serzh SARGSIAN elected president; percent of vote
- Serzh SARGSIAN 52.9%, Levon TER-PETROSSIAN 21.5%, Artur
BAGHDASARIAN 16.7%
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly (Parliament) or Azgayin Zhoghov (131
seats; members elected by popular vote, 90 members elected by party
list and 41 by direct vote; to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 May 2007 (next to be held in the spring of
2012)
election results: percent of vote by party - HHK 33.9%, Prosperous
Armenia 15.1%, ARF (Dashnak) 13.2%, Rule of Law 7.1%, Heritage Party
6%, other 24.7%; seats by party - HHK 64, Prosperous Armenia 18, ARF
(Dashnak) 16, Rule of Law 9, Heritage Party 7, independent 17
Judicial branch:
Constitutional Court; Court of Cassation (Appeals Court)
Political parties and leaders:
Armenian National Movement or ANM [Ararat ZURABYAN]; Armenian
People's Party [Tigran KARAPETYAN]; Armenian Ramkavar Azadagan Party
Alliance or HRAK (includes former Dashink Party, National Revival
Party, and Ramkavar Liberal Party); Armenian Revolutionary
Federation ("Dashnak" Party) or ARF [Hrant MARKARYAN]; Heritage
Party [Raffi HOVHANNISYAN]; National Democratic Party [Shavarsh
KOCHARIAN]; National Democratic Union or NDU [Vazgen MANUKIAN];
National Unity Party [Artashes GEGHAMYA
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