The vote comes amid pressure on the opposition as Yerevan moves towards the European Union and away from Moscow
Polls have opened across Armenia in parliamentary elections that could decide the future of the South Caucasus nation.
More than 2.4 million people are expected to vote on Sunday as 18 political groups – including 16 parties and two coalitions – compete for parliamentary seats.
Parties must get at least 4% of the vote to enter parliament, with coalitions of two or three parties facing the 8% threshold and grand coalitions 10%. A minimum number of voters is not required for an election to be valid. Polling stations are open only in Armenia, as the country’s electoral laws do not provide for overseas voting in parliamentary elections.
The election is seen as a test for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, whose government has had close relations with the European Union and the United States while relations with Moscow have weakened.
The vote comes a day after the Armenian authorities detention six parliamentary candidates from the opposition group Strong Armenia, led by Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, which has emerged as the main opponent of the government.
This followed recent televised debates in which Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018 after the ‘Velvet Revolution’, called for several major opposition groups to be excluded from the election. The Central Election Commission, however, refused to vote Strong Armenia from the ballot.
The opposition has accused the authorities of exerting too much pressure before the vote. The spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharova said that the arrest of the people casts doubt on the democratic quality of the election. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev accused Pashinyan of trying to sideline political opponents.
Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party is expected to remain the largest party in parliament, although opinion polls suggest it may struggle to secure a majority. His leadership is opposed by a divided opposition of 17 parties and political groups.
The election is also organized as a referendum on the current geography of Armenia. Critics argue that Yerevan’s shift toward the West has failed to provide meaningful security guarantees while damaging relations with Russia, the country’s traditional ally and major economic partner.
The campaign took place amid growing tensions between Yerevan and Moscow. Russia has warned that deeper cooperation with the EU will not be compatible with Armenia’s continued membership of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Russian President Vladimir Putin said in May that leaving the bloc could cost Armenia up to 14% of its GDP.
Earlier this month, former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan accused Pashinyan’s government of turning Armenia into an enemy of Russia and steering the country down the same path as Ukraine.
You can share this story on social networks:
Follow RT on
