Aghvan Vardanyan on new Electoral Code: What we offer is a mixture

ARF member Aghvan Vardanyan cannot say whether the Republicans are ready to cede power under the new Electoral Code they have presented to Armenian people. “I do not know anyone who does not want to retain power during the next elections,” he said. The lawmaker claims that the Electoral Code will help increase public confidence in elections. He will never agree with the opposition who sees elements of a hidden majoritarian voting system in the new Electoral Code which will enable citizens to make their candidate a lawmaker. Aghvan Vardanyan says there are different forms of proportional representation in the world and Armenia has chosen this one. “Until recently, we complained that individuals decide for party members and citizens do not have their say. Now these two are combined and a mixed version is presented to our people. It offers a 100-percent proportional representation system,” he said. While Mr Vardanyan admits that they see some drawbacks in the Electoral Code drafted by the Republican Party, he says it was developed considering the electoral experience of 60 leading countries. “I repeat again that it envisages a normal proportional representation system.”