The Republic of Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission has confirmed that in the upcoming parliamentary elections, party lists may include representatives from the country’s four largest ethnic minority communities: Yezidis, Russians, Assyrians, and Kurds – in a designated section of the electoral list. The move provides a structured avenue for minority groups to gain formal political representation in the National Assembly.
For the Assyrian community in Armenia, estimated at around 2,755 people according to the latest census figures, this development has practical significance.
Under Armenia’s electoral framework, political parties are permitted to include minority candidates in a specially designated portion of their candidate lists. If included and elected, these candidates can serve in the National Assembly as minority representatives without needing to compete in the general proportional vote. This mechanism is designed to ensure that ethnic minorities, including Assyrians, have a voice in legislative processes and that their specific interests and concerns are considered at the national political level.
While the Assyrian population remains a small percentage of Armenia’s overall demographic landscape, this electoral provision, if leveraged effectively, can help secure meaningful political representation and protection for Assyrian cultural and civic interests in the country’s evolving democratic landscape.
