Pashinyan’s Civil Contract secures landslide win, cementing Armenia’s westward pivot

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party has secured a decisive victory in parliamentary elections, capturing 49.8 per cent of the vote according to preliminary results declared by the Central Election Commission. The outcome significantly outpaces the Strong Armenia alliance, led by billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, which secured 23.3 per cent of the ballot. With a voter turnout recorded at 59 per cent, the result reinforces the nation’s geopolitical trajectory away from Russian influence and towards Western integration.

Two additional opposition forces cleared the electoral threshold, with former President Robert Kocharyan’s “Armenia” alliance winning 9.9 per cent and the Prosperous Armenia party taking 4.1 per cent. Pashinyan described the result as a “historic victory” that will ensure the country’s development, pledging to continue the course of rapprochement with the West while simultaneously developing relations with Russia. He emphasised that the election was not a binary choice between Moscow and the West, but rather a mandate for regional prosperity and peace.

The campaign unfolded against a backdrop of significant external pressure, including a Russian ban on the import of several Armenian products in the weeks preceding the vote, widely interpreted as economic coercion. Analysts noted the presence of misinformation, hacker activity, and narratives favourable to the Kremlin that portrayed Western cooperation as a threat. Despite these challenges, Pashinyan insisted that Armenia would pursue a balanced foreign policy, stating there was “no question of choosing” between its northern neighbour and Western partners.

Pashinyan vowed to eradicate what he termed the “criminal-oligarchic system,” asserting that leaders of these forces must be held criminally liable. The election follows years of regional upheaval, particularly Azerbaijan’s military takeover of the Karabakh region in 2023, which led to the displacement of most of the Armenian population in the enclave. Pashinyan has framed the vote as a choice between lasting peace with Azerbaijan and a return to war, hoping the result will draw a positive response from Turkey and Baku to institutionalise peace.

The opposition, particularly the Strong Armenia alliance, contested the narrative, with Karapetyan rejecting claims that he sought to drag Armenia back into Russia’s orbit. Karapetyan, who has been under house arrest since last year on charges of plotting a coup that he denies, warned against Pashinyan’s “reckless rush” to the West. Meanwhile, Armenia’s Investigative Committee reported opening 59 criminal cases over alleged electoral violations, including multiple voting, and detaining nine individuals. US President Donald Trump offered his “TOTAL Endorsement for Re-Election” to Pashinyan, highlighting the international attention on the outcome.