Communist regime in Armenia. This resulted at many times in feuds and rift between the Hunchaks and the Dashnaks in many centers of the Armenian diaspora, a situation becoming worse with religious differences, with the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party supporting Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin of the Armenian Apostolic Church and the ARF supporting the Holy See of Cilicia. In these conflicts, the Armenian Democratic Liberal Party was seen as a political ally on the side of the SDHP and in opposition to the ARF. Independent Armenia Following Armenia's independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Yeghia Najarian, headed SDHP organization in Armenia and founded the "Hnchak Hayastani" official organ. In the early 1990s, the party took part in the self-defense of Zangezur (Paramaz battalion) and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict (Jirair-Mourad battalion led by Gevorg Guzelian). The party is also active throughout the Armenian Diaspora. Activities in Lebanon In the 1950s, the party clashed, sometimes violently, with the Dashnak Party, due to tensions that escalated when the ARF elected Bishop Zareh as Zareh I, Catholicos of Cilicia, a move that was rejected by the Hunchaks. This period was characterized by an escalation of conflict between the ARF on one side, and the SDHP and the ally ADL (Ramgavars) on the other side. In the midst of increasing sectarian strife in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which led to the Lebanese Civil War, however, Lebanon's Armenian community began to close ranks, and in 1972, the Hunchakian Party ran a joint ticket with the Dashnaks. In 2000, the Hunchakian Party joined forces with Rafik Hariri's Future Movement, which swept the city of Beirut. SDHP Central Committee Member Dr Yeghia Jerejian was a member of Lebanese Parliament for many years. The party subscribes to a socialist ideology and advocates for a planned economy in Lebanon. The party competes for the six seats reserved for ethnic Armenians in the National Assembly of Lebanon. Ideology The party declares itself as a national social democratic party. The party advocates for free education and healthcare, the promotion of human rights and equality, maintaining a strong democracy, protecting the environment, and creating a decentralized social economy. The party also supports the unification of Artsakh with Armenia. In terms of foreign policy, the party supports Armenia developing closer cooperation within European structures, developing closer ties with Georgia, Iran, China, Japan, and maintaining strong relations with Russia. Electoral record The