Armenia's pro-West government wins election despite Russian pressure
Armenia’s pro-Western Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party won 49.8% of the vote in Sunday’s election, securing a majority despite Russian pressure and economic threats. The election tested Armenia’s shift toward the EU and West, with Pashinyan vowing to continue rapprochement while maintaining ties to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s centrist Civil Contract Party secured 49.8% of the vote in Sunday’s parliamentary election, winning a majority in Armenia’s National Assembly. The result came despite declining domestic support—polls showed his approval rating had fallen from 54% in 2021 to around 30%—and economic pressure from Russia, Armenia’s largest trading partner. The election was seen as a referendum on Pashinyan’s push to deepen ties with the West, including EU accession and a US-brokered peace deal with Azerbaijan after Armenia’s 2023 military defeat in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Strong Armenia Alliance, led by Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, placed second with 23.2%, while the Armenia Alliance, headed by former President Robert Kocharyan, took third with 9.9%. Pro-Russian parties collectively failed to challenge Pashinyan’s dominance, with turnout at 59%. Pashinyan declared victory on Monday, stating that Armenians had voted for ‘peace, regional prosperity, and cooperation.’ Russia had sought to influence the outcome, with President Vladimir Putin calling for an EU referendum and warning of economic consequences for closer Western ties. In the two weeks before the election, Moscow banned exports of Armenian flowers, mineral water, cognac, and fresh produce. Putin also highlighted Armenia’s reliance on Russian gas, priced at $177.50 per 1,000 cubic meters—far below European market rates—while criticizing EU accession as a factor in Ukraine’s crisis. Pashinyan’s reaffirmed commitment to Western integration includes accelerating EU accession talks and maintaining the 2020 peace deal with Azerbaijan, which remains divisive among Armenians. A recent poll showed 44% support and 41% opposition to the agreement, with critics blaming him for concessions during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Despite progress, Armenia lacks EU candidate status, and membership remains distant. France and the EU congratulated Pashinyan on his victory, praising Armenia’s alignment with Western policies.
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