Armenian lawmakers clashed in the National Assembly in Yerevan on Thursday, with fists flying and a chair hurled, in the third all-out brawl on the premises in a matter of days. The fight erupted during a debate over a proposed 'Ministry of Sex' put forward by the pro-Russian Strong Armenia party.
Strong Armenia had proposed the idea after claiming that a lack of sexual satisfaction was leading middle-aged women into political activism. The ruling Civil Contract party objected to the proposal, which was meant to leave "no unsatisfied women," and demanded a public apology, after which the chamber descended into a fight.
Insults and Accusations Spark Violence
The violence began after Civil Contract MP Taron Chakhoyan accused opposition members of being "steeped in corruption" and demanded an apology for proposing the ministry. Chakhoyan said: "People steeped in corruption are talking about corruption, fake accounts, and targeting family members. Mr [Narek] Karapetyan, it is not my fault that your entire extended family is involved in politics, including your uncle, your father, and your cousin, who even tried to open a ministry in our country."
He added: "It is not my fault that he wanted to open a ministry that would satisfy all women. You have still not apologised to women for that."
Brawl Engulfs the Chamber
A shouting match followed, with Strong Armenia member Narek Karapetyan allegedly calling Chakhoyan a "mess from head to toe." The rush towards the central podium, where Chakhoyan was speaking, broke out afterwards, with members seen punching and kicking each other.
Video taken of the fight shows assembly members rushing towards the chamber's centre and brawling with one another. At one point, Vahagn Aleksanya, the chamber's deputy speaker and a member of Civil Contract, picks up a red chair and chucks it at the group's periphery, but they keep fighting. Chakhoyan was seen at another point pouring a glass of water on a rival.
Prime Minister's Response
According to the Daily Telegraph, other MPs joined in the chaos by throwing bottles and breaking tables before the brawl was broken up. Armenia's prime minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a statement after the fight that, while he condemned the violence, he supported "the measures" taken by his faction.
He said: "I condemn violence, but I support the measures taken by the Civil Contract faction today, because [Strong Armenia] being in the opposition does not mean that one should become insolent." He added: "Whether with a chair or something else, it is proportionate and right."
Chakhoyan later apologised to the public for the behaviour of his opponents, saying it was "hooligan" before adding: "It won’t work to provoke a fight and escape from the National Assembly session hall without getting beaten."
The Ministry of Sex row comes following two previous brawls, both of which followed Civil Contract and Strong Armenia members trading insults. Pashinyan also joked on Facebook after the incident that, despite being called "Strong Armenia," the party's MPs were not "physically strong."
