Armenians are voting in a parliamentary election on June 7, testing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's peace efforts with Azerbaijan and Western ties. Pashinyan's party leads polls, but faces Russian pressure and domestic criticism following a military defeat in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The election's outcome will determine Armenia's geopolitical alignment, impacting its peace efforts with Azerbaijan, its relationship with Russia, and its integration with Western countries, with potential implications for regional stability.
Armenians are heading to the polls on June 7 in a parliamentary election that will test Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's agenda of forging peace with Azerbaijan and strengthening ties with Western nations, moving away from Russia. Pashinyan's Civil Contract party is leading with about 30% support, significantly ahead of his main rival, Samvel Karapetyan, who advocates for closer ties with Moscow. Pashinyan's pivot away from Russia is fraught with challenges, as Moscow has increased pressure through export restrictions and threats to energy supply. Surveys reveal that a third of Armenians now perceive Russia as a threat. The election follows Armenia's 2023 military defeat, which resulted in Azerbaijan regaining control of Nagorno-Karabakh and the displacement of approximately 100,000 ethnic Armenians. Securing a two-thirds parliamentary majority is crucial for Pashinyan to fulfill a pledge to hold a referendum on constitutional changes related to the peace process. Rivals Karapetyan and former President Robert Kocharyan advocate for maintaining ties with Russia.
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