At stake in this Referendum:

• The referendum will ask voters to approve a series of amendments which would remove certain authorities reserved for the president and to balance powers between the executive and legislative branches.

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Robert KOCHARIAN
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Andranik MARGARYAN
• Assembly: Armenia has a unicameral National Assembly (Azgayin Zhoghov) with 131 seats.*

* 75 members are elected by party list, 56 members are elected by direct vote.

Main provisions in the Referendum:

• To approve a series of amendments which would remove certain authorities reserved for the president and to balance powers between the executive and legislative branches.
  • The first provision would allow the legislative body to propose a candidate for prime minister should they reject the president's proposed candidate twice.
  • The second provision would allow the president to disband parliament only under five specific scenarios such as inactivity within the assembly.
  • The third provision would prevent the president from vetoing government decisions.
  • The fourth provision called for a reduction of the National Assembly (Azgayin Zhoghov) from 131 seats to 101 seats.
  • Other provisions include a ban on dual citizenship, to allow non-citizens to vote in local elections, more regulations against human rights abuses, and to allow foreign nationals to own property in Armenia.

Electoral requirement:

• In order to pass, the provision must receive a majority of votes, and at least one-third the number of total registered voters.

Note: Although a majority of valid votes cast were in favor of the provision, the results were invalidated because with voter turnout of only 48%, the second electoral requirement was not met.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 3,339,099 (July 2002 est.)
• Registered Voters: 2,334,993 ( 2003 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 1,580,359 (2003)

·         Is Armenia a signatory to CEDAW: No

·         Has Armenia ratified CEDAW: Yes, accession (13 September 1993)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 6 (2003)

·         Human Development Index Position: 85 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: High (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Armenia a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Armenia ratified CRPD: Yes (22 September 2010)

·         Population with a disability: 500,864 (est.)