ABSTRACT
Since the early 1990s, elections have been an important component in the
democracy building programmes implemented and supported by Western
donors in the former socialist states in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet
Union. After explaining donors’ focus on and support for local civil society
participation in elections, I examine the work of local human rights NGOs,
independent media organizations and a youth movement led by students
from Yerevan State University in the 2003 presidential elections and the 2004
aftermath. Based on participant observation, interviews with human rights NGO leaders, youth movement leaders, journalists and government officials
as well as the analysis of local publications and websites, I demonstrate how
civil society participation in elections is recognized and presented by donors
and local human rights NGOs as a critical element in Armenia’s democracy
building efforts. Finally, I analyse the government’s resistance to civil society
participation in the elections and civil society responses to that resistance. I
consider the implications of this resistance.
