A Citizen of a Third Country Cannot Be a Prime Minister Candidate, Says Prime Minister About Karapetyan

According to the legislation and Constitution of Armenia, an individual holding citizenship from a second or, in this case, a third country cannot be a candidate for either parliament or prime minister. This was stated by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a briefing with reporters, addressing talks on Samvel Karapetyan's team forming a party and seeking prime ministerial candidacy through constitutional amendments.

“Regarding the establishment of a party, of course, under Armenian legislation, citizens have the right to establish political parties. However, concerning the candidacy for prime minister, the law and Constitution of Armenia clearly state that individuals with citizenship from a second or, in this case, a third country cannot run for parliament or the position of prime minister,” Pashinyan said.

Pashinyan concluded by noting that such discussions are unfounded: “Therefore, what you are referring to simply has no de jure or de facto existence. Thus, I do not feel the need to comment on something that does not exist.”

Recently, Narek Karapetyan, coordinator of the “My Way” movement, announced that Samvel Karapetyan is the prime minister candidate for the “Strong Armenia” party. It is worth noting that Samvel Karapetyan has not permanently resided in Armenia for the past four years and holds citizenship in other countries. Despite leading the movement, he is not entitled to participate in elections due to his dual citizenship. According to Article 48 of the Constitution, a member of the National Assembly can be elected if they are at least twenty-five years old, have been a citizen of the Republic of Armenia for the last four years, have resided permanently in the Republic of Armenia for the last four years, have electoral rights, and have proficiency in the Armenian language.