Voting in Armenia’s Parliamentary elections wrapped up on Sunday, with the vote count now in progress, as reported by local media. The first election results are anticipated to be disclosed by midnight on Sunday, according to Russia’s state-owned Tass media. More than 2.48 million registered voters were eligible to participate at 2,005 polling stations across Armenia.
Polling stations commenced operations at 8 a.m. local time and ceased at 8 p.m. local time on Sunday, as per the Xinhua news agency. The Central Electoral Commission revealed that 18 parties and alliances, presenting nearly 2,000 candidates, are vying for seats in the National Assembly, Armenia’s unicameral legislative body. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan cast his vote at a polling station in Yerevan, Armenia.
The ongoing geopolitical tensions surrounding Armenia’s potential EU membership make these elections crucial. Recently, the Presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia urged Armenia to promptly conduct a nationwide referendum on EU accession. They expressed concerns about the economic security risks posed by Armenia’s EU integration efforts to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) member states.
Armenia and the EU signed a connectivity partnership agreement in early May, focusing on enhancing economic and security cooperation. This partnership aligns with the EU’s Cross-Regional Connectivity Agenda and Armenia’s “Crossroads of Peace” initiative. The Eurasian Economic Union, established in 2014 by Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia, was later joined by Armenia and Kyrgyzstan in 2015. US President Donald Trump endorsed Prime Minister Pashinyan for the elections, referring to him as “a great friend and leader.”
