Armenia's Civil Contract Leads in Tight Parliamentary Race

Early results from Armenia's parliamentary election indicate the ruling Civil Contract party is leading with 57.14% of the vote. The pro-Russian Strong Armenia alliance follows in second place with around 21%. The election is a crucial test following Armenia's defeat by Azerbaijan in 2023.

Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party is currently leading with 57.14% of the votes in the latest parliamentary election, according to early data released by the electoral commission.

The data, reflecting about 5% of polling stations, also highlighted the pro-Russian Strong Armenia alliance in second place garnering 21%, while the Armenia Alliance, led by former President Robert Kocharyan, managed approximately 8%. Sunday's election marks the first since Armenia's significant military loss to Azerbaijan in 2023 and serves as a pivotal test for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's efforts to realign Armenia's foreign policy towards the West.

Since his rise to power in 2018, Pashinyan's Civil Contract party has been instrumental in boosting relations with Western countries, setting the stage for a challenging face-off against three main pro-Russian parties. Pre-election polls revealed the ruling party ahead, supported by up to 32% of voters, while Strong Armenia followed with up to 11% support.