Nykhaz
Ныхас
LeaderZita Besayeva
FounderAlan Alborov
Founded2013 (2013)
Merger ofNew Ossetia (2018)
Alanian Union (2019)
Membership (2017)790
Ideology
Colours  Dark blue
Parliament
4 / 34
Website
Facebook page

Nykhaz (Ossetian: Ныхас, romanized: Nykhas, lit. 'Meeting, Speech') is a political party in South Ossetia founded in 2013 by supporters of Independent president Leonid Tibilov.[1][2] It's members and supporters are referred to as Nykhasovites in local media.[3]

History

The party was founded by Alan Alborov, former mayor of Tskhinvali. By the 2014 South Ossetian parliamentary election, in which the party won four seats, the party's leader was Ruslan Gagloyev.[2][1] Although officially an Independent, the party has been associated with then President Leonid Tibilov, with this association continuing even after him leaving office in 2017.[4]

Gagloyev initially ran as the party's candidate for president in 2017. However, he would be disqualified and endorsed Tibilov.[5] In the lead up to the 2019 South Ossetian parliamentary election the New Ossetia party led by David Sanakoyev and the Alanian Union led by Alan Gagloev merged into Nykhaz, with Sanakoyev becoming the new party leader. This resutled in the party almost doubling their vote from 7.79% to 14.37%, however, they failed to garner any more seats in Parliament. Gagloev would go on to be elected the chairman of the party in February 2020.[6]

Gagloev would be the party's candidate for president in the 2022 presidential election and would defeat the incumbent President Anatoly Bibilov to become the fifth President of South Ossetia.[7][8] Following his election Zita Besayeva was elected leader of the party in February 2023.[9]

Under Gagloev's leadership the referendum on annexation into Russia was suspended until at least the end of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[10] Gagloev would also assert his "supreme authority" over the armed forces after units under the command of the defense minister assaulted Ossetian civilians throughout the country.[11] This is after his predecessor had allowed parts of the South Ossetian military to be under the authority of the Russian army, as well as a large desertion by South Ossetians in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[12][13] He has also loosened regulations for the predominately ethnically Georgian residents of the Akhalgori Municipality to travel back and forth between Georgia and South Ossetia.[14]

Election results

Parliament of South Ossetia

Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Status
2014 Ruslan Gagloyev 1,574 7.79% (4th)
4 / 34
 New Pro-presidential[15]
2019 David Sanakoyev 3,198 14.37% (3rd)
4 / 34
 Steady 0 Opposition

Presidential

Election Candidate First round Second round Result
Votes % Votes %
2017 Endorsed Leonid Tibilov[16] 10,909 33.71% Red XN
2022 Alan Gagloyev 10,707 38.55% 16,134 56.09% Green tickY

Party Chairmen

No. Name Term Notes Ref.
1. Alan Alborov 2013 - 2014 Party's Founder, former mayor of Tskhinvali [1]
2. Ruslan Gagloyev 2014 - June 2018 Member of Parliament, former Undersecretary of the Security Council of South Ossetia [5]
3. David Sanakoev June 2018 - February 2020 Presidential candidate in 2012, chairman of New Ossetia and foreign minister [2]
4. Alan Gagloev February 2020 - February 2023 Presidential candidate in 2017, chairman of Alanian Union elected president in 2022 [2]
5. Zita Besayeva February 2023 - Incumbent Founding member of the party, longtime member of parliament [9]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Парламентская партия "Ныхас" сменила лидера: ее возглавил Алан Гаглоев". Государственное информационное агентство "Рес" (in Russian). 2 February 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Сообщение политсовета партии "Ныхас" | Парламент Республики Южная Осетия". parliamentrso.org. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  3. ^ Tarkhanova, Zhanna. "New Speaker of the Parliament of South Ossetia's criminal past". Jam News. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Партия "Ныхас": жизнь после жизни". Эхо Кавказа (in Russian). Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b Widhiyanto, Fajar. "Ossetia Selatan Berniat Bergabung Kembali dengan Rusia". investor.id. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Alan Gagloyev: Candidate for President of South Ossetia. Elections 2022". IA Res (in Russian). 20 March 2022.
  7. ^ https://www.interfax.ru/world/834251 Президент Южной Осетии и лидер партии "Ныхас" вышли во второй тур выборов
  8. ^ "Избирателей Южной Осетии заинтересовало "новое лицо": почему Гаглоев обходит Бибилова". www.mk.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  9. ^ a b "Югоосетинская партия "Ныхас" избрала себе нового лидера (South Ossetian Nykhas party elects new leader)". IA Res (in Russian). 3 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Georgian breakaway territory suspends announced referendum on joining Russia – decree". Reuters. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Алан Гаглоев: "Никому не позволено нарушать закон"" (in Russian).
  12. ^ "Putin approves army deal with Georgia's South Ossetia". www.aljazeera.com. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  13. ^ Ball, Tom. "Deserting South Ossetian troops hitchhike home in 'mass mutiny'". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  14. ^ "South Ossetia to partially reopen crossing points for Akhalgori Georgians". OC Media. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  15. ^ The party declared itself pro-presidential, meaning supporting Leonid Tibilov. After the presidential elections of 2017, which Anatoly Bibilov (United Ossetia) won, the party went into opposition.[4]
  16. ^ ""Воистину народный кандидат" ("A true people's candidate")". Ekho Kavkaza (RFE/RL) (in Russian). 31 January 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
Categories