ARMENIA AHEAD OF US AND UK

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The suffrage is known for 4 principles: universal elections, freedom, equal rights and the secret of voting. If any of these principles is violated elections cannot be considered free and fair. For a long time only men had the suffrage. Women were offered the rights to vote much later. It should be noted of the progressive position Armenia occupies in this view. “In 1919 at the parliamentary elections of the first republic the Armenian women could enjoy the right of voting”, candidate of juridical sciences Hrayr Tovmasyan says. At that time Armenia abided by the law “On Parliamentary Elections”. “Being an Armenia I was proud that we has such a progressive law but I was disappointed to know that it was the Russian law on elections to the constitutional assembly, which was adopted with certain amendments”, he said.

For the first time women used their suffrage in 1893 in New Zealand. The women in US have participated in the elections since 1920, in UK – since 1928, in France – since 1944, in Italy – since 1945, in Greece – since 1956. It would be interesting to note that in democratic Switzerland the women received the suffrage in 1971. The second important electoral limitation is the age. The active suffrage is granted to people at 18 when one attains his majority. However there are countries where citizens are allowed to vote in 16, for example in Iran, Brazil and Cuba. In Morocco the suffrage is extended to people at the age of 20, in Latvia – at 21. Armenia is progressive from this viewpoint as well. During the times of the first republic the age limitation was fixed at 19. In UK and Germany the age limitation was lowered from 21 to 18 only in 1969, in France – in 1974, in Greece – in 1982, while in Belgium, Finland, Austria and Netherlands the age qualification of 18 was established during the recent ten years.

In case of passive suffrage the qualification on citizenship is established. Almost in all the states only the citizens of the given state can are allowed to take part in the elections. However there are some exceptions. In the EU member-stated citizens of other counties if they live there and pay taxes, can participate in the elections for the local self-government bodies. In Latin America citizens of other states have the right to take part in the universal elections in accord with the international agreements. In our republic citizens of other states living in the given community and paying taxes are offered the right to participate in the elections for the local self-government bodies.

There is also a limitation on residence, which is not widely spread, however. «In Czechia, for instance, one cannot participate in the elections if he is away from the country. In Poland a person should live in the country for at least 5 years to be granted the suffrage», Hrayr Tovmasyan noted. In African states there a problem of education, thus the knowledge of the language of the neighbor states is taken into consideration. In many African countries a photo of the candidate is placed on the ballot paper, as people cannot read. «In Zaire the lists of the candidates are weighed and the candidate is elected if his voters shout louder than the other's. This way of election came to us from ancient Greece.

In European countries the age qualification for the candidates is rather high. In Italy a presidential contender should be no younger than 45. In France one can become a deputy at 23 and President - at 35. In Brazil non-participation in the elections is punishable. «In the Latin American states a citizens cannot run for President of he was not born in the given country, for deputies the law demand 15-year citizenship», Hrayr Tovmasyan said.

He also touched upon some states, which established limitations proceeding from their own peculiarities. «In Baltic states former member of the National Security bodies and police have no right to be nominated, in Turkey those without higher education are deprived of this right. In Moldova the citizens, who serving their service for affixed period are deprived of active and passive suffrage. In the Central Asia the ban concerns people, who do not know native tongue”, Mr. Tovmasyan resumed.

Victoria Abrahamyan