The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament: It is too early to talk about early elections before the text of the new Armenian Constitution has even been published

ArmInfo. It's too early to assess the likelihood of early elections in Armenia before the text of the new Constitution has even been published. This was stated by Ruben Rubinyan, Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia, in a conversation with journalists on October 27, following Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's statement about the possibility of early elections in the country if the new constitution is not adopted.

In this regard, Rubinyan stated that he finds the opposition's statements opposing the new Constitution of Armenia strange, given that they have not yet read its text. "I don't really understand how one can oppose a document they haven't even seen. This simply contradicts political science. And I note that the media is misinterpreting the Prime Minister of Armenia's words. Pashinyan spoke of the authorities' intention to try to convince the opposition to support the new Constitution and, if that fails, to consider further action. "I believe it is too early to assess the likelihood of early elections, as the text of the new Constitution has not yet been published," the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament noted.

He added that there is no room for discussion since the text has not yet been made public, noting that in normal countries, a document is first published and then discussed, not the other way around.

Rubinyan also admitted that the authorities do not intend to include the Declaration of Independence in the new Constitution of Armenia, something that has already been repeatedly stated by officials at various levels. "The Declaration of Independence itself exists as a historical document, and nothing can be done with it. The question is different: should a reference to it be included in the new Constitution or not? I believe that opposition representatives should clearly state their position on this issue. "Because, on the one hand, they criticize Pashinyan for his statement that 'Artsakh is Armenia, period,' claiming that it contributed to the outbreak of war, while on the other, they advocate for including a reference to the Declaration of Independence in the new Constitution. "I ask that my words not be considered in the context of the statements of the Azerbaijani side. We have repeatedly stated that we do not share their position. I would simply like to hear the opposition's point of view on this issue," Rubinyan emphasized.

The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament then noted that in many countries, the preamble to their constitutions lacks a reference to the Declaration of Independence. According to him, their position is as follows: the new Constitution of Armenia must reflect existing realities. "Today, our society, as confirmed by political processes, including parliamentary elections, shares the position that the Republic of Armenia is a state that has no territorial claims against other countries and strives to live in peace with all its neighbors. "It is in this context that the new Constitution should be developed," explained the Speaker of the Armenian Parliament. It should be noted that during a briefing on October 22, the Prime Minister of Armenia did not rule out holding early parliamentary elections if the parliamentary opposition cannot be convinced to vote in favor of submitting the new Constitution to a referendum.

As a reminder, following the results of the regular parliamentary elections in Armenia held on June 7, 2026, the Civil Contract party has a 3/5 majority, which allows it to adopt constitutional laws and make appointments. However, the party does not have the 2/3 majority necessary to make direct amendments to the Armenian Constitution. It should be added that since the occupation of Artsakh, demands have frequently been voiced from Baku to amend the Armenian Constitution due to its alleged territorial claims against Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani side presents the fulfillment of these and other demands as a precondition for concluding a "peace treaty."