Dashnaktuzun                           
Armenia Revolutionary Federation-Dashnatsutyun (Dashnak) - 9 Seats. A traditional Armenian party that has its roots in the Armenian risorgimento period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Dashnak was founded in 1890, based on social justice, democracy and national self-determination for the Armenian people. The Armenian Diaspora particularly has kept strong ties with Dashnak. Dashnak was banned since the Soviet annexation of Armenia. The party was reestablished after Armenia declared independence, but banned again in December 1994. At that time however, Dashnak was the main opposition party, and more popular than the HHSh. Nonetheless, the parliamentary group remained functioning prior to the 1995 elections. During the election, the ban proved effective: Dashnak won only two percent of the votes. Since then, the party's popularity was increasing rapidly. On February 9, 1998, after the resignation of ter-Petrosian, the ban was lifted. Since Kocharian became President, Dashnak was represented in the government by two Ministers and the Advisor to the President. During the 1999 elections, ARF gained 7 seats. ARF-Dashnaksutiun delivered one Minister (Minister of Culture, Sport and Youth) to the government.Chairman: Hrair Karapetyan .Relations to SI .Since September 1996 Dashnak has observer status with the Socialist International. Dashnak also had contacts with the Socialist International prior to the Soviet annexation of Armenia. SDHP has no ties with the SI.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), known also as Dashnaktsutiun or Dashnak, was founded in 1890 as a confederation of various action groups fighting for Armenian National Liberation with all their available means - armed struggle, political action as well as propaganda against the Ottoman state.
At a very early period, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation embraced a socialist ideology and elaborated its vision of Independent Armenia. It is in this same perspective that the ARF participated in various social movements agitating Russian Transcaucasia (where a part of Armenian was situated) at the beginning of the twentieth century and concluded alliances with other oppressed nations.
In brief, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation was the expression and the personification of Armenian national aspirations to independence, which, after three long decades of unrelenting struggle and sacrifices, culminated in the founding in 1918 of the first independent Republic of Armenia. Three years later, when this Republic was taken over by the Soviets, the principal architect of national independence became a party in exile, in the Armenian Diaspora.
As an organization, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation from August 1990 repatriated to Armenia, while in the Diaspora, it is the most important of the Armenian political parties. Unlike the other Armenian parties, the ARF is a thoroughly organized network of cells and sections covering practically all countries where there are Armenians.
Through various organizations and associations, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation coordinates and directs both the political and cultural activities of the Armenians in the Diaspora.
•     Hamazkayin Cultural Association, possesses and manages a number of schools including an Institute for advanced studies in Armenology. It sponsors radio programs and various artistic events (musical, theatrical etc...). In its publishing house all kinds of Armenian books are published and old ones reprinted.
•   The   Armenian Relief Organization, is a feminine association covering the whole Diaspora. Though its main objective is social and medical relief work, it nevertheless manages important monetary funds set up to help Armenian schools or to pay the tuition fees of needy Armenian students. It also has its proper publication.
•     The Armenian General Union of Athletics and Sports "Homenetmen with its well-structured network, prepares fine sportsmen as well as loyal patriots.
In its internal organizational system, the ARF combines democratic freedom of opinion with rigorous self-imposed discipIine. In this combination lies the secret of its flexibility and of its strength. In this structural organization "legislative" assemblies and "executive" bodies always collegiately and democratically elected by a majority vote progressively climb up from the base to the summit. The decentralized organization and this tradition of liberty and discipline guarantees the free circuIation of ideas and the exchange of opinions among the ranks of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and in the pages of its media (numerically the most important and the most active of the Diaspora). Ideas and opinions are crystallized through debates and the party ideology and strategy is elaborated. The principles of organization have governed the existence and the activities of "Dashnaktsutiun" since 1890.
In the course of nearly one hundred and seven years of history and despite the various periods through which it went and is still going through -armed struggle for national liberation, activities in the context of a national independent state, a very trying diasporic existence and the current status in Armenia- only minor adaptation modifications were needed.
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation puts all the above mentioned possibilities at the disposal of the Armenian National Cause. Without losing sight of the imperatives of its sociaIist ideals, the ARF considers, as it always has, that the strategic objective of the National Cause is a top priority.
The ARF is more than ever on the front line, continuously leading the struggle for the National Cause. If during these past decades, Armenian activism manifested itself with greater vigor, this is due to the long and sustained efforts of "Dashnaktsutiun". In order to serve the sacred National Cause, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation vowed to resort to all means made available by political conjecture and inspired by its own ideology. Its fundamental objective remains the creation of a free, independent, reunified and democratic Armenia.