Lucine Argutian

Lucine Argutian
Member of the Directory from Zalpa
Incumbent
Assumed office 20 July 2017
Preceded by	David Mardas
Member of the National Congress for Zalpa's 1st constituency
In office 18 July 2012 – 19 July 2017
Preceded by	Petros Geyserian
Succeeded by	Tamar Roben
Personal details
Born	Lucine Maria Xiphilina Argutian (1987-07-15) 15 July 1987 Dara, Zalpa, Vardana
Political party	Radical
Spouse	Mehvesh Razmuni (m. 2016)
Children	1
Parent(s)	David Argutian Madlene Xiphilina
Alma mater	University of Ghish University of Sophene (LLM)

Lucine Argutian (Լuսինե Մարիա Արտավազդ Արգuտիան; b. 15 July 1987) is a Vardanan attorney and politician who has served as a Member of the Directory representing Zalpa since 2017.

Argutian was born in Dara, Zalpa. Her father is statesman and diplomat David Argutian, who served as Governor of Cilixia from 1981 until 1987, Ambassador to Yisrael in the mid 1990s, and Ambassador to Ghant from 2000 to 2009. Her mother is Madlene Xiphilinos, an actress, socialite and distant relative of the Xiphilinos family. At age 25, she successfully ran for seat in the National Congress, becoming the youngest individual to serve in the legislative body. During her tenure as a deputy, she was a vocal supporter of education reform. Argutian was reelected in 2014 and 2016, but resigned after she was elected to the Directory in 2017. She holds a degree in education from the University of Ghish, and an LLM degree from the University of Sophene.

In 2017 she was elected to the Directory of Vardana. Argutian was re-elected to a second term in 2021, earning 62 percent of the vote. A member of the Radical Party, she is the youngest person ever elected to the Directory, its first member to be born after the signing of the 1985 constitution, and the first member to follow the Aletheic faith.

Background

Argutian was born on 15 July 1987 in Dara, Zalpa.

Her father is David Argutian, a prominent Vardanan statesmen who was a prominent Hravart party member, who held posts such as Governor of Aylket, Ambassador to Yisrael, and Ambassador to Ghant. He also served as deputy party secretary in 1984 under Arman Boghossian. Her mother, Madlene Xiphilina, is a prominent actress and socialite, best known for her role in the 1986 film Redemption. She has two older brothers, David and Tigran.

Argutian was a student at St Helene secondary school, a private boarding school in Sophene. However from 1994 to 2002, she also attended Woodford Academy for International Students, an Arthuristan-run private school, in Yerushalayim, while her father was serving as Ambassador to Yisrael. She resided in Yerushalayim for the entire duration of her father's ambassadorship.

Education and career

Prior to beginning university, Argutian stood for Zalpa's 1st constituency in the 2006 election. After her defeat, she enrolled at the University of Ghish for the fall 2006 term to study political science, later adding courses in education as well.

Argutian enrolled at the University of Ghish in fall 2006. While at Sophene, she studied pre-law. She was a member of various student groups, and remained a member of the Radical Party's national executive committee. . While at Ghish she was a member of Young Labor. She studied terms abroad at the University of Loweport, in Arthurista, and Ateze Provincial University, in Sante Reze. She graduated with degrees in political science and education. Upon completing her undergraduate studies at Ghish, she enrolled at the Law Program at the University of Sophene and completed the accelerated study program by 2015.

She became a member of the Zalpan and national barristers societies, and briefly practiced law as a public defender based out of Sophene.

National Congress

Argutian was said to have an interest in politics from an early age due to the exposure provided from her father's career. According to a 2017 interview, she dreamed of running for office and was originally inspired by her father and Arman Boghossian, the latter of whom is her godfather.

She became the youngest person to stand for election in the National Congress, announcing her candidacy for Zalpa's 1st constituency when she was 18 years old. However, she lost to then-incumbent Petros Geyserian by 15%.

After completing university, Argutian again ran for National Congress. Her nomination as member of the Radical Party was confirmed at the party's 2011 congress, allowing Argutian to face Republican Spirit-incumbent Petros Geyserian. On election night, she defeated Geyserian, earning a plurality of 39% of votes. At 25 years old, she was sworn in as the youngest member of the National Congress and first member of the legislature to be born after the 1985 constitution.

Tenure

In July 2012, Argutian was appointed to the Committee on Education and Social Services, eventually serving as Vice Chair from 2014 until 2017. By January 2013, she was appointed to the Select Committee on Intelligence and Oversight, and served as Chairperson from 2016 until 2017. She was a member of the Progressive Conference of Radicals, New Radicals, and the Rose Alliance caucuses within the National legislative.

Argutian was appointed to the Radical Party's national executive committee in November 2016.

Argutian successfully ran for re-election in 2014 and 2016. She resigned her National Congress seat before she was sworn in as the Director from Zalpa in 2017.

Director of Vardana

Ahead of the 2017 directorial election, Argutian announced her intention to stand in the Radical Party's primary election. Ahead of primary day, Argutian was polling in third, but received the endorsement of party leader and First Secretary Anastas Barkhudar, along with other members of the Radical Party's executive committee. On 17 January 2017, Argutian finished second in the first round of primary voting. Two weeks later, Argutian was victorious during the run-off election, defeating the presumed nominee, Adour Ardzruni, earning 52% of the party-wide vote in Zalpa. After earning the Radical Party's nomination, Argutian was polling at 44%, putting her ahead of incumbent Director, Tigran Papazian.

Following the first round of voting, Argutian earned a plurality of votes, at 37%, allowing her to reach the second and final round of voting for the Zalpa Directorial office against incumbent Papazian. On 19 June 2017, Argutian was victorious, earning a majority of votes with 58%. Upon her election, she became the youngest Director and the first Director to be born after the 1985 constitution was put into effect.

Upon her election as director, she held primary oversight responsibility of the Ministry of Home Affairs and Legal Territories. In 2020, she was reassigned to primary oversight of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Argutian was re-elected in 2021 and became the first incumbent or candidate to win an election without entering a runoff since Samuel Heliz in 1997. Following her re-election, Argutian was appointed Second Deputy Secretary. She retained her position as oversight director for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Personal life

In 2014, during her first term in the National Congress, Argutian began a relationship with fellow congressperson Mehvesh Razmuni. The two later married in 2016. They have one child together. In April 2022, Argutian endorsed her husband in his bid to become President of Zalpa ahead of the Radical Party convention.

See also

• List of directors from Zalpa

Political offices
Preceded by Petros Geyserian	Member of the National legislative for Zalpa's 1st constituency 2012–2017	Succeeded by Tamar Roben
Preceded by Tigran Papazian	Member of the Directory from Zalpa 2017–present	Incumbent