Pro-Russian party Strong Armenia has filed a motion with Armenia’s Central Election Commission to annul the parliamentary election results, claiming widespread irregularities. According to the Armenian news agency Armenpress, the party cited numerous violations during the voting process. However, international observers did not report any major issues.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party, which has steered the country closer to the West since coming to power in 2018, won 49.8 percent of the vote. The pro-Russian Strong Armenia secured 23.2 percent. Opposition parties alleged that the election was marred by irregularities, though independent monitors largely dismissed these claims.
Opposition cries foul over military presence
The Central Election Commission is set to publish the final results on Sunday, June 14. On Thursday, the commission invalidated votes from two polling stations due to an increased military presence after the voting ended. This incident has become the main argument for the opposition, which seeks to annul the election.
– The presence of troops in those polling stations after the closure of voting is unacceptable and directly influenced the outcome – said a spokesperson for Strong Armenia. Leaders of another opposition party, Prosperous Armenia, believe that this irregularity cost them a place in parliament. Their official result was 3.996 percent, just a few dozen votes short of the 4 percent threshold needed to enter parliament.
International observers see few irregularities
International observers concluded that the elections were largely free and fair in most polling stations. They noted that voters had a genuine choice among candidates. However, they did observe pressure from Russia in the form of trade restrictions, which may have been intended to sway voters toward the opposition.
– The overall conduct of the election was satisfactory, but we saw signs of external interference, particularly through economic measures – an observer mission representative said. The dispute over the two invalidated polling stations remains a flashpoint, with the opposition vowing to challenge the final results if the commission does not grant a full annulment.
Armenia’s geopolitical orientation has been a central issue in the campaign, with Pashinyan’s government deepening ties with NATO and the European Union while distancing itself from traditional ally Russia. The election outcome is seen as a key test of whether Armenians support this westward shift.
Źródło: Polsat News, Fot. Polsat News
