Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has secured victory in Armenia’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results released by the Central Election Commission.
Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party won 49.81 percent of the vote, comfortably ahead of the opposition Strong Armenia alliance, which received 23.29 percent. Voter turnout exceeded 58 percent in the nation of approximately three million people.
The election was widely viewed as a referendum on Pashinyan’s foreign policy direction, which seeks to move Armenia closer to the West while reducing its dependence on traditional ally Russia.
Following the announcement, Pashinyan described the outcome as a “historic victory” and pledged to continue strengthening ties with Western nations while maintaining relations with Russia.
The main opposition bloc, Strong Armenia, is led by Samvel Karapetyan, a billionaire businessman currently under house arrest over allegations of advocating the overthrow of the government. Karapetyan rejected the accusations and criticized the election process, alleging irregularities and political pressure on opposition supporters.
Election authorities reported dozens of investigations into alleged voting violations, with several individuals detained as inquiries continue.
Two other opposition groups also secured seats in parliament, including the Armenia Alliance led by former President Robert Kocharyan and the Prosperous Armenia Party.
Although Pashinyan won a clear majority, his party fell short of the two-thirds parliamentary supermajority required to unilaterally initiate constitutional changes. Such reforms are considered important for advancing a peace agreement with Azerbaijan and normalizing relations with Turkiye.
Since coming to power, Pashinyan has deepened cooperation with the European Union and the United States while reducing Armenia’s participation in a Russia-led security alliance. The shift has caused tensions with Moscow, which views the South Caucasus as a strategic region.
European leaders welcomed the election outcome. Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Pashinyan and praised Armenia’s democratic development, while Emmanuel Macron said the result would further strengthen Armenia’s ties with Europe.
The final allocation of parliamentary seats is expected to be confirmed after official certification of the election results.
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