Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party wins parliamentary election, boosting pro‑European shift

Initial results of Armenia's parliamentary election showed the ruling Civil Contract party securing roughly 49.8% of the vote, enough to form a government on its own after the redistribution of votes from parties that failed to win seats. Opposition blocs, including the Strong Armenia coalition led by businessman Samvel Karapetyan, obtained about 22% of the vote, while former president Robert Kocharyan's Armenia bloc received around 9%. Voter turnout reached an unprecedented 60%.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced the victory, stating, “the Civil Contract won and will form the government alone,” and signalled a continued tilt toward European integration. The election was framed as a referendum on Yerevan’s foreign‑policy direction, pitting a pro‑European stance against a faction backed by Moscow.

Russia challenged the legitimacy of the vote, with its foreign ministry describing the process as “highly politicized” and alleging violations. A Russian security council deputy called the elections “not legitimate.” In contrast, European officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, welcomed the results.