Armenia’s National Assembly has adopted in the second and final reading a package of amendments to the Electoral Code and the Law on Referendums, introducing stricter eligibility requirements for participation in elections.
The measure passed with 63 votes in favor during a July 3 session, amid a boycott by most of the parliamentary opposition. Only the Armenia Alliance faction took part in the vote, opposing the amendments.
The legislative package was presented by Alkhas Ghazaryan, a lawmaker from the ruling Civil Contract faction, who co-authored the initiative with fellow MPs Arusyak Manavazyan, Hasmik Hakobyan, and Arusyak Julhakyan. Ghazaryan said the amendments had been revised in line with government recommendations.
Under the new rules, Armenian citizens who turn 18 by election day will be eligible to vote in parliamentary elections only if they have been physically present in Armenia for at least one year (366 days) during the previous two years (730 days). The calculation period will be determined as of the 48th day before election day, or the 28th day in the case of snap elections.
For local elections, voters must also be at least 18 years old, registered as residents of the respective community for at least six months before election day, and physically present in Armenia for at least one year during the previous two years.
Certain periods spent abroad will not count as absence from Armenia, including official assignments of public servants, residence with diplomatic or consular family members, and study at foreign universities.
Political Debate Over Electoral Rights & Residency Rule
“The bill is aimed at correcting realities recorded during the last elections and reflects a public demand,” said ruling party MP Arusyak Julhakyan, referring to reports that large numbers of voters traveled from Russia to Armenia to participate in the June elections.
However, official data published within a case under review by the Constitutional Court did not show unusual patterns, indicating only around 3,000 more border crossings compared to the same period last year.
Opposition lawmakers argue the changes are politically motivated and linked to broader electoral calculations ahead of a potential constitutional referendum.
“We believe they calculated that with those votes they would secure more than 65 percent, but since our compatriots came and participated in the elections, their votes were dispersed. Now they are trying to reduce the number of voters,” said Artur Khachatryan from the Armenia Alliance faction.
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ruben Rubinyan rejected any link between the amendments and constitutional plans.
“Absolutely not. The direct goal is to protect the Republic of Armenia from situations where, for example, mass vote-buying could take place abroad and illegally influence elections. It is much harder for law enforcement bodies to detect such cases when they occur outside the country,” Rubinyan said.
He also rejected claims that the amendments violate the Constitution, which guarantees voting rights to all citizens aged 18 and above, arguing that the right is not unconditional but subject to lawful criteria. Opposition groups and several civil society organizations, however, have criticized the amendments as unconstitutional and disproportionate, warning that they restrict voting rights and undermine democratic principles.
Even after the law’s adoption, the Civil Contract would still not hold enough seats in the new parliament to initiate constitutional amendments. The ruling party has presented such amendments as an electoral promise, while critics link them to a precondition set by Azerbaijan for signing a peace agreement. The opposition further argues that the prime minister had previously suggested that failure to secure a constitutional majority could even lead to the risk of war. The authorities have not yet clarified how they intend to address this issue.
Civil Society Response
A group of Armenian civil society organizations has condemned the legislation as unconstitutional, writing in an open letter that it “endangers democratic principles and violates the political rights of citizens.” The organizations said the draft law was not subjected to any public discussion and was included in the agenda of the extraordinary parliamentary session as an urgent item, allowing it to pass both first and second readings within a short timeframe.
Opposition lawmakers have pledged to challenge the law before the Constitutional Court.
