Azernews.Az

Akbar Novruz

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The Armenian Parliament has approved a bill in its third and final reading that imposes restrictions on diaspora voters' eligibility. To participate in elections, voters from the diaspora must now be present in Armenia for at least one year within a two-year period leading up to the election, AzerNEWS reports.

This decision follows the recent parliamentary elections in which Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party secured a majority of seats.

Previously, Armenia had prohibited diaspora voters from casting their ballots from abroad, requiring them to return to the country to participate in elections.

Leading up to the election, there was considerable speculation about the possibility of Russia mobilizing its diaspora population to challenge Pashinyan's position.

Although a significant influx of voters from Russia did not occur, and the numbers were insufficient to prevent Pashinyan's victory, the newly passed law seems to be a response to these concerns.

The new legislation also includes exemptions for specific categories of Armenians living abroad, such as government officials on official assignments, their family members, and students studying at foreign universities.