Pashinyan to publish draft new constitution in November: Baku won't sign peace until the preamble changes

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on November 2, at a joint committee session on the 2027 budget, that the government will publish a draft new constitution in November. "We will publish the draft of the new Constitution, and public discussions will begin," he said, according to Public Radio of Armenia's translation.

Azerbaijan refuses to sign the peace treaty, initialed on August 8, 2025, until Armenia removes the reference to the Declaration of Independence from the constitution's preamble. Sending the draft to a referendum requires a two-thirds majority in parliament, so Pashinyan's Civil Contract needs votes from part of the opposition. Pashinyan called for "public pressure" on the opposition.

A lower referendum threshold

Justice Minister Srbuhi Galyan said on November 3 that the government plans to lower the threshold for calling a referendum, without giving a new figure. Opposition Armenia faction leader Anna Grigoryan said on October 30 that public pressure would not change her faction's position.

"Peace cannot be delayed because peace has already been established," Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on October 28, adding that Armenia is ready to sign the treaty by the end of 2026.