If the constitutional amendments in Armenia were to propose a transition to an absolute majoritarian electoral system in the country, we would have clearly said that we were going toward a single-party, or a two-party system.
National Assembly Chief of Staff-Secretary General Hrayr Tovmasyan, who is also a member of the President-affiliated Specialized Committee on Constitutional Reforms, on Thursday expressed such a view speaking with residents of Merdzavan village in the Armavir Province.
He noted this within the framework of the ongoing TV program devoted to the proposed constitutional amendments ahead of the forthcoming respective referendum, and reflecting on the opposition’s argument that if these constitutional amendments pass, there will be a single-party system in Armenia.
“One-party systems are formed in countries where there is solely a majoritarian electoral system, since small [political] parties are unable to get a lot of votes,” Tovmasyan said. “Our last parliamentary elections are the vivid proof of what I’m talking about, (…) whereas we are doing the opposite.”
In his words, the proposed constitutional amendments stipulate that more than two parties can enter the Armenian parliament.
The referendum on Armenia’s draft constitutional amendments is slated for December 6.
Pursuant to the new draft Constitution, the country will make a transition from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary system of governance, and conduct completely proportional parliamentary elections.
The opponents of the proposed constitutional amendments, however, consider them to be primarily the authorities’ attempt to hang on to power.