[JURIST] The Armenian Electoral Commission [official website, Armenian] on Monday announced [Asbarez report] that Armenia’s constitution will be amended as a result of Sunday’s referendum. However, opposition MP’s and independent European observers have alleged serious irregularities [BBC report] in the voting process, stating that fraud was a possibility. MP’s from the Council of Europe [official website] said that the voting lists were inaccurate and that too many citizens saw the reform as a “vehicle” for President Serzh Sargsyan, who could become prime minister in 2018. Opposition leaders claim that there was a great deal of ballot-stuffing, violence, pressure, and vote-buying as well. Opposition MP Levon Zurabyan and others boycotted Monday’s parliament session in protest, with hundreds of others joining in the capital city of Yerevan. The data from 1997 poling stations indicates that about 63 percent of voters voted in favor of making constitutional changes, while about 32 percent voted against them. Just over 50 percent of registered voters participated in the referendum, making it legal.

Elections continue to present issues to governments and lawmakers around the world. Last month Guiena’s Constitutional Court validated the reelection [JURIST report] of President Alpha Conde amid allegations of fraud and rigging In October the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil banned [JURIST report] corporate entities from providing funding to political candidates in the future. The court found that the large role corporations played in campaign funding was unconstitutional and compromised the legitimacy of the elections. In July Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza was elected to a third term [JURIST report], leading to public protest and international criticism. Although the election resulted in Nkurunziza receiving 69 percent of the vote, the Constitution of Burundi states that presidents shall be universally elected into office for a term of five years and can renew the term only once. Prior to the vote, Nkurunziza’s opponents boycotted the election [JURIST report] claiming it is unconstitutional for a president to seek a third term. In June Colombia’s Congress voted [JURIST report] on to limit presidents to a single term, a measure backed by President Juan Manuel Santos.