Armenia's ruling party leads parliamentary election with 54 percent

Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party is leading the ongoing parliamentary elections with 54.44% of the vote, according to early results from the national electoral commission. The preliminary data, broadcast on public television, is based on vote counts from approximately 16% of polling stations across the country.

The pro-Russian Strong Armenia alliance is in second place with about 22% of the votes. Other parties and alliances follow with significantly lower vote shares. Voter turnout and complete results will only be announced after counting is completed at all polling stations.

The Civil Contract party is led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who came to power in 2018 through the so-called Velvet Revolution. This peaceful protest movement led to the overthrow of the previous government and brought Pashinyan to office as a reform politician. Since then, his party has pursued a more Western-oriented foreign policy, which has led to tensions with traditional ally Russia.

Armenia finds itself in a complex geopolitical position between East and West. The country is a member of the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and maintains close economic ties with Moscow. At the same time, Pashinyan's government has increasingly sought contacts with the European Union and the United States. Russia continues to maintain military bases on Armenian territory.

The second-place Strong Armenia alliance represents forces advocating for a return to closer relations with Russia. Their performance of about 22% shows that a significant portion of the Armenian electorate views the current government's pro-Western orientation critically. This political division reflects different visions for Armenia's future foreign policy direction.

The elections are taking place in a tense regional environment. Armenia has experienced several conflicts with neighboring Azerbaijan in recent years, particularly over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. These confrontations have intensified debates about security partnerships and military alliances in Armenian politics.

The electoral commission will publish further results in the coming hours as counting continues at the remaining polling stations. Observers expect the trends from the initial results to be confirmed, though exact percentages may still shift.

The final election outcome will be decisive for the composition of the Armenian parliament and future government formation. With an absolute majority, the Civil Contract party could govern alone; otherwise, coalition negotiations would be required. The results will also be interpreted as an indicator of popular support for current government policies.