Although the ruling party won the parliamentary elections, it failed to secure a constitutional majority. This could significantly complicate any effort to amend the Constitution or adopt a new one.
The issue is particularly important in the context of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, as Baku continues to insist that constitutional changes in Armenia are among the prerequisites for signing a peace agreement.
This raises a key question: can Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan complete the peace process without adopting a new Constitution?
For Baku, This Is Not a Legal Issue
Azerbaijan specialist Tatev Hayrapetyan argues that the issue of constitutional reform is neither a legal nor a technical matter for Azerbaijan.
In her view, Baku’s objective is not primarily the signing of a peace agreement but rather the strengthening of political and psychological pressure on Armenia.
According to Hayrapetyan, the Azerbaijani leadership is attempting to demonstrate that it can dictate what Armenia’s Constitution should look like.
Society Did Not Grant Such a Mandate
The analyst argues that Armenian citizens did not authorize the current government to determine the future of the country’s fundamental law based on external demands.
She believes this issue inevitably raises serious political and public concerns.
Pashinyan Created Additional Problems for Himself
According to Hayrapetyan, by accepting constitutional reform as part of the negotiation agenda, Pashinyan has created additional difficulties for his own administration.
She argues that Azerbaijan can now repeatedly refer to previous understandings and demand their implementation.
At the same time, she believes this agenda lacks broad public support within Armenia.
Public Resistance May Be Significant
Hayrapetyan is convinced that a considerable portion of society rejects a political agenda that includes both constitutional changes and government actions directed at the Armenian Apostolic Church.
In her assessment, these issues together create a serious political challenge for the ruling authorities.
Much Depends on the Opposition
“The situation could become a dead end precisely for Nikol Pashinyan and his political team if the opposition manages to work intelligently and effectively,” Hayrapetyan argues.
According to her, future developments will depend not only on government decisions and external factors but also on whether opposition forces can present society with a convincing political alternative.