Armenia has banned citizens residing permanently abroad from voting.… (армения · гражданин · выборы)
Armenia has banned citizens residing permanently abroad from voting. The Armenian Parliament adopted amendments to the Election Code in its second and third readings, prohibiting residents outside the country from participating in elections, according to Sputnik Armenia.
Consensus
- Armenia's parliament passed amendments to its Electoral Code on July 3
- The new law restricts voting rights to citizens who have resided in Armenia for at least 366 days out of the last 730
- Only those who were physically present in Armenia during this period can participate in parliamentary elections and referendums
- The changes require compliance 48 days before regular elections or 28 days before extraordinary elections
- The ruling party 'Civil Contract' led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan authored the amendments
- Opposition parties intend to challenge the law in the Constitutional Court
Points of divergence
- Opposition deputies from the 'Armenia' faction plan to file a constitutional complaint against the changes, claiming they unlawfully restrict citizens' electoral rights — fontanka
- The ruling party claims that citizens living abroad often lack sufficient knowledge of candidates or may be influenced by political agendas in their host countries, potentially creating conditions for hybrid interference in elections — meduza
- Parliamentarian Ruben Rubinyan stated the changes aim to prevent illegal influence on the electoral process from abroad and cited reports of bribery being offered overseas during recent elections — interfax
- Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had previously suggested that citizens living permanently abroad might lose their right to vote, though this was not explicitly confirmed in the final law text — vm
Coverage (5 sources)
- Armenia strips voting rights from citizens living abroad for long periods — Фонтанка
- Voting for citizens permanently residing abroad banned in Armenia — Meduza
- Armenia sets residency requirements for voting in elections and referendums — Интерфакс
- Voting rights for residents abroad restricted in Armenia — Вечерняя Москва
- Armenian Parliament Bans Citizens from Voting Abroad — Коммерсантъ