Nikol Pashinyan won the Armenian elections: Russia is losing influence in the country.
On the morning of June 8, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared victory in the parliamentary elections, which many viewed as a test of Russia's influence in the country. According to preliminary results, his ruling Civil Contract party received 49,81% of the vote, according to NBC News.
Pashinyan and his party hoped to secure a convincing mandate to pursue a new foreign policy course that would distance them from Moscow, as well as strive for EU membership and deeper cooperation with Western countries.
After voting on June 7, Pashinyan declared that Armenia would continue to strengthen its independence, statehood, democracy, and the rule of law.
"The European Union is our main partner in carrying out democratic reforms, and we will continue to move forward on this path," he assured.
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Pashinyan's main rival is Samvel Karapetyan, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia. He is currently under house arrest on charges of calling for the overthrow of the government. His "Strong Armenia" bloc, with 23,29% of the vote, took second place. Karapetyan, calling the charges politically motivated, denies them.
Richard Giragosian, head of the independent think tank Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, called the elections "watershed" and noted that they effectively became a referendum on the country's future.
"These elections provide a new mandate to continue the positive momentum of diplomatic contacts, normalize relations with neighbors, and further diversify security partners," he said on June 8.
In recent weeks, Russian authorities have imposed a number of restrictions on Armenian exports. President Vladimir Putin and other Russian officials have made veiled statements comparing Armenia's path to that of Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia.
Meanwhile, Armenian investigative authorities reported that on the eve of the elections, they issued six arrest warrants for representatives of the Strong Armenia bloc, accusing them of vote-buying. On June 6, the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia confirmed that the party had been allowed to participate in the elections after a representative of another opposition force, the Republic Party, filed a complaint demanding the bloc's disqualification from the elections due to corruption allegations.
On Sunday, June 7, Karapetyan was escorted to the polling station, where he spoke briefly with journalists, after which he returned home.
“The Armenian people will make the right choice, and the country will finally have legitimate power,” he said.
The Strong Armenia bloc advocates for the development of close business ties with Russia and accuses Pashinyan of attempting to provoke a conflict with the Kremlin.
According to Armenia's Central Electoral Commission, four parties overcame the 4 percent threshold and entered parliament, including forces openly advocating for rapprochement with Russia.
The Armenia and Prosperous Armenia parties also entered parliament, garnering 9,94% and 4% of the vote, respectively. Turnout was 59,97%.
Even before the official results were published, Pashinyan, speaking to journalists at his headquarters, declared that his party had won a record victory and would be able to independently form a government.
Preliminary data from the Central Election Commission confirms this: the ruling party received 61 seats in the 105-seat National Assembly, which is 58,1% of the mandates.
"This is sufficient to form a government without coalition partners, elect a prime minister, adopt a government program and state budget, and independently pass most laws and parliamentary decisions," Giragosian explained. However, he added, this result is not sufficient to secure the constitutional majority necessary to introduce amendments without a referendum.
Senior European Union officials congratulated Pashinyan on his victory in a tight election race that was seen in Europe as a sign of Russia's influence.
"The spirit of the Velvet Revolution you led in 2018 is alive and well today," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on June 8, referring to the mass protests that led to the resignation of former Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan.
"We highly value our partnership with democratic Armenia, which is increasingly moving closer to Europe. Armenia can count on us," she added.
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European Council President António Costa also congratulated Pashinyan. He noted that the EU's role in Armenia and the wider South Caucasus region will grow. This region connects European markets, which have high demand for energy, with the gas fields of Central Asia.
"Together, the European Union and Armenia are strengthening people-to-people ties and creating new opportunities in energy, trade, and digitalization. Our partnership is an investment in a more peaceful and prosperous future for the entire region," he emphasized.
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