YEREVAN, December 7. /TASS/. Armenians have backed the proposed constitutional changes to switch to the parliamentary form of government in the country, according to the preliminary results of Sunday’s referendum.
Some 66.06% of participants of the vote and 34.28% of citizens included in the voter lists said "yes" to the reform, initiated by President Serzh Sargsyan, the Central Election Commission said.
Under the reform, the republic’s president will have limited representative functions and his term will be extended from five to seven years. The president will be elected by the members of the parliament rather than through a direct general vote.
The Armenian president will not have the right to hold his post twice and be a member of any political party while in office.
The reform also envisages abandoning elections to the parliament, the National Assembly, via the majority and single-mandate constituencies.
Armenia’s opposition is against the constitutional reform saying that the ruling Republican Party led by President Sargsyan seeks to remain at the helm of the country for many more years.
Shortly after the referendum, the opposition forces united as part of the New Armenia Public Salvation Front claimed the referendum results were rigged and demanded to consider that the outcome was invalid.