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The official title of the country is the Republic of Armenia (RA) (Hayastani Hanrapetutiun).

The highest executive authority is the president, who appoints a prime minister, who in turn appoints ministers to comprise the government .The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term. The last election was held on February 19, 2003 with a runoff on March 5.

The legislative branch of the Armenian democracy is the National Assembly (Azgayin Zhoghov). The National Assembly of Armenia has 135 elected Parliamentarians who are elected every five years. Its members represent several political parties. Parliamentarians submit laws for adoption by the National Assembly, while the President maintains veto power. If the National Assembly rejects the program delivered by the prime minister and Council of Ministers, then they are obliged to resign.

On August 23, 1990, citizens of then-Soviet Armenia voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union through a popular referendum. The Republic of Armenia was established on September 21, 1991, and Levon Ter-Petrosian, who had been democratically elected as chairman of the Armenian Supreme Soviet system in 1990, was chosen president of the republic in a six-candidate election in October of the same year.
Following Ter-Petrosian's resignation in 1998, the then-PM Robert Kocharian assumed the role as president and was elected to the same role later that year. In 2003 he was re-elected for a second 5-year term. President Kocharian played a major role in the Nagorno Karabakh self-determination movement and served as President of the republic, which declared its independence from Azerbaijan when the Soviet Union disintegrated. President Robert Kocharian's administration continues to seek a peaceful and lasting resolution of the conflict while promoting international investment in Armenia and a leading role in regional programs.
Andranik Markaryan has held the role of Prime Minister since May 12, 2000. The constitution of the Republic of Armenia was adopted through a national referendum on July 5, 1995. All citizens age 18 and older have the right to vote.

Armenia has established diplomatic relations with 125 countries. In the first years of independence, Armenia became a member of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Armenia is a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and at the same time enjoys good relations with the United States and the European Union. In October 1994 the country joined the Partnership for Peace program, which provides for limited military cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Armenia continues to strive toward development and reform and most recently was admitted to the Council of Europe.