Armenia’s transition to the parliamentary system: problems and prospects

The article analyzes the goals and prospects of constitutional reforms, carried out in Armenia by the end of 2015, as well as challenges arising at the changing Armenian political scene. The author examines possible consequences of modification of the country’s political system – transition from semi-presidential to parliamentary form of government. The analysis of the present state Armenia’s weak multi-party system demonstrates that, as in the cases of other post-Soviet states, it is now in its early phase of consolidation – with all problems which all post-Soviet states face in the process of formation of democratic polity. The successful implementation of objectives of constitutional amendments in many respects depends on the transformation of current weak multi-party system into a fully functioning core element of country’s political system. The formation of full-fledged multi-party system is considered as a primary factor and condition of the realization of the main objectives set forward by constitutional amendments, i.e. improvement of political system leading to the establishment of parliamentary form of government and consolidated democracy with equilibrium and consensus of political forces, balanced separation of powers and duly functioning political institutions. The party system in this case will become one of central political institutions – one of bearing pillars supporting the whole building of the constitutional state. The paper proposes a framework of checks and balances which should prevent the degeneration of the political system. This framework has three dimensions: procedural dimension (free and fair elections), legal dimension (impartial constitutional review), and expert dimension (independent expert community of highly qualified specialists).

Citation: Torosyan T.S. (2016) Perspektivy i vyzovy perekhoda Armenii k sisteme parlamentskogo pravleniya [Armenia’s transition to the parliamentary system: problems and prospects]. Sravnitel’noe konstitutsionnoe obozrenie, no.4, pp.29–40. (In Russian).

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