What kind of quota is proposed by the Concept of Electoral Legislation Reforms?

On September 28, the RA Electoral Legislation Reform Commission at its regular session approved the Concept of Electoral Legislation Reforms. The concept is available at the following link:

The preamble of the Concept notes that it was drafted in an urgent manner to work out solutions to priority issues prior to the early snap parliamentary elections and to provide some well-grounded legal basis for free and democratic elections.

It is also mentioned that the proposals included in the concept were based on the Government’s decision of 2018. the program, the Opinions given by the Venice Commission (“Democracy, Law”), reports by the OSCE / ODIHR, reports by observing organizations, proposals discussed by parliamentary factions and during public discussions and meetings in the process of elaborating this conception (including the extra-parliamentary political forces) and presented in writing.

It should be reminded that in the process of drafting the concept more than 40 NGOs addressed an open letter to the RA Electoral Legislation Reform Commission and the working group formed to reform the electoral legislation in the RA National Assembly. The letter, in particular, suggested:

– Include the issue of ensuring the mechanisms for guaranteeing equal participation of women and men in the elective bodies, including the issues related to the improvement of the quota for 30/70 sexes on party lists by Article 83 §§ 4 and 10 of the RA Electoral Code.

With the published concept, it is proposed to fix the proportion of 30/70 in party lists, but an important addition has been made to the existing code, according to which the representation of each sex in already elected factions should also be at least 30%. If we take into account the concept that it is proposed to abandon the “open” lists, one can expect that under the same provision, no less than 30% of each gender deputy will be provided in the newly elected parliament.

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