However, Article 12 para 2 still requires members of political parties to be citizens of Armenia. Similarly, Article 2 of the Law refers to a political party as a union of citizens. As mentioned in the 2016 Joint Opinion²⁵ as well as the 2019 OSCE/ODIHR Opinion,²⁶, a general exclusion of foreign citizens and stateless persons from membership of political parties is not justified, as they should to some extent be permitted to participate in the political life of their country of residence, at least as far as they can participate in elections.²⁷ While Armenian law provides that foreigners can participate, under certain conditions, in local elections, and even though article 46 of the Constitution mentions the right of “citizens” to create a party, it is recommended to amend the law in order that parties be allowed to associate foreigners in their activities. 

^{25 2016 Joint Opinion para 18.
26 2019 OSCE/ODIHR Opinion para 15.
27 See Article 16 ECHR and ECtHR Perinçek v. Switzerland [GC] (application no 27510/08), 15 October 2015, , para 118ff.}