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Armenian President Will Not Sign Law Amending the Electoral Code

Armenian President Armen Sarkissian will not sign an Electoral Code amendments bill passed by the National Assembly into law.

The bill, among other provisions, would transition elections to a fully proportional system. Other amendments reduce the deposits paid by parties and party blocs running in parliamentary elections and reduce the threshold needed to enter parliament for parties from 5% to 4%. 

Sarkissian, according to a statement released by his office, is concerned that the bill was adopted based solely on a vote in which the ruling My Step faction participated in.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has announced that snap parliamentary elections will be held this June.

The statement, in part reads:

“According to the Venice Commission, changes in the electoral legislation must take place at least one year before elections. The Venice Commission has also stated its position that the stability of the electoral system is one of the most important principles to be considered, and that there must be ample time to hold in-depth public discussions on amendments to the Electoral Code with the participation of all stakeholders.

“A proportional electoral system without a regional list structure can be effective in states with well-established parliamentary political cultures, where parties have a clear agenda, where the public has ample time to familiarize themselves with programs, and where elections are based on submitted programs. Meanwhile, such a change in the current situation in the Republic of Armenia may lead to competition not between the parties and their programs, but between the leaders of this or that party.”

The president’s office said that after studying the bill it could not find anything problematic from a constitutional point of view.

 

 

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