Armenia’s Central Election Commission announced the final results of the parliamentary elections at an extraordinary meeting, according to Radio Free Europe’s Armenian service, ‘Azatutyun’, on 14 June.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s “Civic Contract” party received 49.745% of the vote, “Strong Armenia” – 23.271%, and the “Armenia” alliance – 9.923%. Gagik Tsarukyan’s “Prosperous Armenia” party garnered 3.989% and failed to enter parliament.
In parallel with the meeting, a protest is taking place outside the CEC building – representatives of the pro-Russian ‘Strong Armenia’, the “Armenia” alliance and “Prosperous Armenia” are demanding that the election results be annulled, citing systematic and widespread violations.
In response, the authorities have repeatedly stated that the opposition itself was handing out bribes to voters, notes Radio Azatutyun. Police have arrived at the commission’s building and the surrounding streets.
Parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on 7 June. Although the “Civic Contract” failed to secure 50% of the vote, under Armenian law, four seats are reserved for representatives of national minorities. As reported by Armenian Report, three of these four seats – representing the Russian, Kurdish and Yazidi communities – will go to Pashinyan’s party.
The opposition “Strong Armenia” party, led by Russian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, and the “Armenia” led by former President Robert Kocharyan, advocate closer ties with Moscow and criticise Pashinyan’s policy of rapprochement with the European Union.
The election campaign took place against a backdrop of an unprecedented deterioration in relations between Armenia and Russia. Moscow criticises the Armenian leadership’s policy of rapprochement with the EU, whilst the Armenian authorities accuse the CSTO and its allies of failing to fulfil their security obligations – primarily due to the events in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023.