Armenian legislature adopts new election code reflecting political compromise

AP Worldstream
May 21, 2005

Armenia’s legislature adopted a new election code reflecting a
political compromise between the ruling party and the opposition in
advance of municipal elections scheduled for later this year.

In the new code approved at a special session Friday, the legislature
changed the composition of the Central Election Commission to include
more opposition voices. Six members will be determined by the parties
represented in parliament, while three will be named by the president,
the opposition parliamentary grouping and the appeals court.

More parliamentary seats will be elected through party lists in
the interests of fighting corruption. Analysts say the intent is
to lower the chances that wealthy patrons could “buy” a seat in a
local district.

The new code, which was vetted by European election experts, is
perceived as decreasing the power of the presidency. Critics say
President Robert Kocharian has cracked down on dissent, allowed
corruption to flourish and done little to improve the lot of
impoverished Armenia’s 3.3 million people.