The Union of Informed Citizens program coordinator, Daniel Ioannisyan, said banning personal names in party and alliance names is justified, but introducing it just two months before elections is problematic in terms of timing.

He noted, according to News.am, that after reviewing commission records, they concluded the earlier removal of the ban had been a technical oversight.

He explained that such a restriction had existed until 2024, was later removed, and is now being proposed for reinstatement.

“We have not determined who made the oversight and likely never will—whether it was the Ministry of Justice or the National Assembly—but it was not an initiative of the Central Electoral Commission, as recorded by ‘Independent Observer.’

Our position is the following: this regulation is necessary, but introducing it two months before elections is problematic purely in terms of timing. Had this change been made several months earlier, we would have welcomed it. Clearly, some political forces have already formed or are forming branding and will now need to rebrand,” he said.

Ioannisyan also addressed why the issue surfaced so late, noting that it became apparent when alliances with personal names began to emerge.

“This provision came to our attention when we saw alliances being formed with personal names. When I saw the announcement of the ‘Strong Armenia with Samvel Karapetyan’ alliance, I was surprised because I believed Article 81 of the Electoral Code prohibited it. When I checked, I saw the ban was no longer there—that’s when I discovered it,” he said.

Under the proposed amendment, alliance names would be prohibited from including personal names, names of state or local government bodies, or similar formulations.

Civil Contract MP Sona Ghazaryan, presenting the initiative, said the goal is to move toward a system where elections are about programs and teams rather than individuals.

“We are saying that personal names should not be used. This is not regression but progress. Elections should be about ideas and proposals, not individuals,” she said, according to 1lurer.am.

She argued that parties relying on personal branding instead of political programs are misrepresenting democratic principles.

MP Arusyak Julhakyan explained that the urgency of the amendments is linked to the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7, emphasizing the need to ensure effective electoral mechanisms in advance.

She noted that the draft includes two main components: improving tools to prevent violations in vote monitoring and regulating party and alliance names.

Earlier, Ioannisyan had also criticized the removal of the ban in 2024, saying it had been done without consultation with civil society and expressing concern over unilateral changes to the Electoral Code.