What Do You Think About the Female Presidential Candidate?

 We talked around this matter with MPs,  experts, journalists, as well with male and female politicians.

“Nominating a woman’s candidacy for the sake of  making an impression is just useless”

Ms.Lyudmila Sargsyan, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) parliamentary faction representative and the head of the Social-Democrat Hnchakyan Party (SDHK) announced during the Press Conference on the eve of March 8, 2012 stating that there was no appropriate presidential candidate in Armenia.

Did she make up her mind since then?

“Even since that Press Conference my approach regarding the matter remained unchanged. I believe that artificial nomination of a woman candidacy for making an impression is just useless. A political figure has to estimate her capacity in compliance with this or that model” clarified Ms. Sargsyan during our interview.

The female parliamentarian believes that there are politically matured, educated and well-known women in Armenia, but all these criteria are not enough to envision them in the role of a Country President.

“I believe creation of such a model in an artificial manner is doomed to failure. To be honest I have never seen and even didn’t want to see myself in the position of the Country President. I know, my name also has also been circulating as a possible presidency candidate, but I fully comprehend the essence of this position, and the responsibilities and obligations presumed. Meantime, as a citizen and as a woman I want to run an independent life. To my understanding, the Country President is an unsurpassable figure, and till now Levon Ter-Petrosyan remains the unsurpassable president for me…”

“It’s time for women to express themselves”

Ms. Tamara Gevorgyan, an expert of Management Systems, Candidate of Political Science, the Director of the Rights Center Foundation and the Ex-Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Issues of RA won’t propose her candidacy for the round of upcoming presidential elections, but her nomination in the future is rather feasible.

Ms. Gevorgyan doesn’t exclude that we will see a woman presidential candidate during these upcoming elections, yet she believes that the exiting environment is not an enabling one for women. Still, she is convinced that there are proficient and skillful women in Armenia with motivation and potential for being a President.

“In our reality women nomination and competition is unequal due to existing global political ethics and culture, and I strongly believe this restrains many motivated and educated figures with potential and chances not to enter into tournaments. Our society overwhelms a sophisticated rating and supports men politics, meantime the society discussions around woman’s presidential candidacy is rather challenging and usually pass a thorough examination. In reality there should be no difference in ordinary environments. No matter the candidate is a man or woman, they should be skilled and knowledgeable. Everyone wants to be a President, but this deployment is not an easy task.”

As an Expert of Management System Ms. Gevorgyan concludes that our society is ready for having a presidential woman candidate.

“Despite the societal positions, everyone is tired with the current environment and the value systems. There is an urgent need of serious structural reforms in the political culture and management systems in general. Everyone wants to live without harming their dignity. All these factors made me conclude that our society wants to see and is ready to elect a woman in the position of the country leader. Very often, we do not ask for the society opinion and make declarations on behalf of the society.”

The Ex-Deputy Minister also added that during the recent 21 years of independence men positioned themselves in the feeble posture and thus they are not ready to adjust the mentioned changes.

“It is women’s time to express themselves,” concludes Ms. Gevorgyan.

“I wouldn’t’ like to be very strict towards women”

As per Ms. Maria Titizyan, the member of Armenian Revolutionary Party and vice-president of “Socintern” organization, men and women have different criteria: women versus men have to work times harder to achieve a desired mission, meantime could be granted to men without serious efforts.

“Right after my arrival to Armenia I thought I could elect any woman candidate despite her political views. I could elect a woman with a belief that she could execute changes, but now it seems only Anush Sedrakyan intends to propose her candidacy for presidential elections, and to be honest, I am not well aware about her experience. Still I am sure that much will be changed if the country elects a woman president. I want to believe that women versus men are less corrupt; they are rather apt to cooperation than making willful decisions. Women always ask for an advice and they are more democrats. I want to believe that we reached this level, yet I can’t percept how could women lead the country when they represent the minority, are strained in different spheres and besides all, I can’t see a woman who deserves for being nominated as a presidential candidate,” Ms. Titizyan mentioned.

“It would be great if women candidates are nominated”

An experienced journalist Mr. Armen Hakobyan has got his presidential woman candidate for the upcoming elections and envisages a long-run candidacy.

“For the upcoming elections my nominee is my wife Karine Kirakosyan. In a long run, of course I see my daughter Mari Hakobyan as a candidate.”

He doubts to say whether women will be nominated for the upcoming elections, but he promises not to elect the female candidate only for gender diversity.

“It would be great to have women candidates and I will explain my viewpoint; firstly I am certain that women’s presence would convey fascination and interest to competitions and tournaments, and secondly male political figures would be restrained from defaming each other and articulating swearing flavored speeches. This way the struggle would enter into a more civilized round,” expresses his opinion Mr. Hakobyan.

He believes that Armenian women possess excellent management and leadership skills and thus more women should be involved in the government structure especially those of economics, social issues and education.

“Today women confront difficulties and I do not mean to please women with this, it is an absolute truth. Many women act as the family father and the mother equally; they are the breadwinners and the ones to manage the family budget during these though time. Women became more initiating and independent.”

Mr. Hakobyan is against any artificial approach that solely aims to balance any figural equity.

“Women from political parties or other setting are being forced for inclusion into politics. We witness artificial inclusion of women into certain parties’ proportional lists, and I am against this artificial inclusion. I strongly believe that there are well-educated and literate women in Armenia, who have good ideas and concepts, meantime are motivated to implement these concepts. No need to trust and involve unnoted women into politics due to their gender identity only. Thus the prominent and knowledgeable women need to be given this chance and opportunity to be on the platform,” tells the journalist.

“There will be a woman candidate, but she won’t celebrate her victory”

Political analyst Mr. Armen Minasyan assumes that a woman candidate will surely be nominated although she will not celebrate her victory.

“First of all, our society is not mature enough to give its preference to the female candidate; secondly it is hard to picture a women as a country president due to de-jure obligated presidential tasked, e.g. visiting the military frontlines… The ordinary elector considers such aspects as well,” expresses his viewpoint Mr. Minasyan.

To our question on can he outline a female presidential candidate, Mr. Minasyan replied:

“To be honest, I can’t outline a single well-prepared female politician. Perhaps we need to go through one or two more election cycles in order to have politically matured female figures. But first of all, women have to head their political parties and become team leaders. This is the major gap and what we lack now,” added the political analyst.

By  Hasmik Karapetyan & 

Hasmik Harutyunyan