YEREVAN. – Chairperson of the opposition Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP), Naira Zohrabyan, at Tuesday’s talks in capital city Yerevan, asked visiting members of the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) how justified is the draft Constitution’s provision of a two-phased parliamentary election system in the country.
“Second round [elections] and a stable majority [in parliament], which is a concern to us all,” said Zohrabyan and asked: “How is it possible to remove the concern that one political force can have a political monopoly?”
The Venice Commission members responded that their view on this matter is clear, and it has not changed from the very beginning. Nonetheless, they are for political stability.
“In our view, political stability should be one of the most important objectives of the constitutional amendment,” said the Venice Commission members. “In any case, we recommend transferring this provision to the Electoral Code and adjust [it] as such.”
The Venice commission members’ talks with the political forces of Armenia are in progress at Yerevan State University. The representatives of all parliamentary factions are in attendance to this event.
The new draft Constitution has been forwarded to the National Assembly. The respective parliamentary debates are expected to get underway during its first four-day fall session. And as per National Assembly President Galust Sahakyan, the constitutional referendum should be conducted in late September.
Pursuant to the draft Constitution, Armenia will make a transition from a presidential to a parliamentary system of governance. The Venice Commission, however, recommends that the provision of a two-phased parliamentary election system in the country should be removed from this draft.
