No one thinks that the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) will inevitably be elected at all elections for 100 years in a row, Hrayr Tovmasyan, member of the Commission for Constitutional Reforms, told journalists in Yerevan on July 17.
"As specialists, we always tell all those who think the constitutional reforms are aimed at power retention that the easiest way to retain power is the semi-presidential regime. It can be exemplified by the countries of Latin America, Central Asia and naturally Azerbaijan, where that system and the dynastic regime get along perfectly," he said.
On July 15, the specialized commission on constitutional reforms of Armenia has posted seven chapters of the reformed draft Constitution of the country on the website of the Armenian Justice Ministry. The seven chapters were approved during the commission's meeting on July 13.
Tovmasyan thinks that it would be more correct to fight against electoral fraud rather than against a 100% parliamentary regime in Armenia. He said the reformed draft Constitution rules out concentration of the administrative levers in the hands of one political party and makes such a fight successful.
The main novelty in the Constitution is the transition to a 100% proportional electoral system. The name of the candidate proposed by a party for the Prime Minister's position will be mentioned on the proportional list. The parliamentary majority will be formed by the Government.
The draft Constitution will undergo public debates by late July. It may even undergo some changes in case acceptable proposals are made. Afterwards the document will be submitted for the consideration of the President and, if approved, it will be submitted to the National Assembly of Armenia. The referendum day will be fixed after the Parliament adopts the draft Constitution.