Armenia introduces residency requirement to limit diaspora voting rights

Armenia has banned citizens permanently residing outside the country from voting in elections.

Parliament adopted the corresponding amendments to the Electoral Code in the second and final reading.

According to the amendments, initiated by a group of deputies from the ruling Civil Contract faction, only citizens of Armenia who have permanently resided in the country for at least 366 days out of the last 730 (that is, more than one year out of the last two years) will be able to participate in parliamentary elections and referendums. This requirement must be met as of 48 days before regular elections and 28 days before snap elections.

Recall that representatives of the ruling force raised this issue shortly before the parliamentary elections on June 7, stating that citizens of Armenia living abroad were arriving en masse in the republic specifically to participate in the voting.

Source: Sputnik Armenia