Mıgırdıç Şellefyan
Description
The king of tin cans rests on his throne, one not built on epics of Yore or romantic tales of national liberation but one created for him out of Turkish convenience.
Migirdiç Şellefyan is an Armenian because he was tasked with keeping Armenia docile. He is not one out of pride or patriotism for what is meant to be his ancestral homeland. In an alternate life, he may have stayed as a bureaucrat in Istanbul, eeking out a lifestyle through corruption and connections.
But World War Two presented an opportunity. Armenia remained restless, and Inönü needed a watchman. A name was slipped to the President, and a deal was made - Şellefyan would have his playground, and Armenia would not be a threat to Turkish interests, giving birth to a new President.
His Armenian Republican Party now commands the nation, a nominal sibling of its big brother party in Turkey. In reality, it is a vehicle for Şellefyan's interests and a cast of careerists, populists, and the scattered few pro-Turkey politicians. Each election is a box-ticking exercise for them, but if Armenia is to be free, something must give...