Govt refuses to debate full shift to proportional electoral system

February 9, 2012 - 12:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - At February 9 sitting, the government of Armenia turned down the parliamentarians’ initiative to debate a full shift to proportional electoral system.

According to First Deputy Minister of Justice Grigor Muradyan, to Armenia, as a country with semi-presidential form of government, parallel implementation of majority and proportional systems guarantee the interests of a larger part of society will be represented at parliament.

The official, however, supports prevalence of proportional system, as the National Assembly of Armenia is mainly represented by parties. Muradyan deems introduction of changes to Electoral Code on the threshold of parliamentary elections an unreasonable step.

On February 1, RA NA standing committee on state and legal affairs scheduled parliamentary hearings on a full shift to proportional electoral system for February 15.

On January 26, Prosperous Armenia coalition party jointly with Heritage and ARF Dashnaktsutyun opposition parties requested Armenian National Assembly speaker Samvel Nikoyan and the chairman of NA standing committee on state and legal affairs David Harutyunyan to organize parliamentary hearings on full shift to proportional electoral system.

On December 27, Heritage and ARF Dashnaktsutyun opposition parties issued a joint statement urging for a full shift to proportional system.