Armenia's ruling pro-Europe party has won parliamentary elections, confirming the country's pivot towards Europe and away from its traditional ally, Russia. Final results in the small South Caucasus country showed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's Civil Contract party securing a slim majority, while the Strong Armenia alliance, led by Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, won 25% of the seats in parliament.
The result, likely welcomed in Brussels but viewed with dismay in Moscow, strengthens Pashinyan's hand as he pursues his signature goal: a peace agreement with longtime adversary Azerbaijan and normalization of relations with Turkey. "The people of Armenia voted for peace, regional prosperity and regional cooperation, and I hope this will be met with a positive response from Turkey and Azerbaijan," Pashinyan said at his campaign headquarters as results trickled in.
Pashinyan added that Armenia would continue to deepen ties with the West while maintaining its membership in the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. A former journalist who swept to power in the 2018 Velvet Revolution promising to dismantle Armenia's oligarchic system, Pashinyan campaigned on a platform of peace, arguing that ending decades-long confrontation with neighbors would unlock economic opportunities, improve security, and reduce dependence on Russia.
European Integration and International Support
The prime minister has sought closer ties with Europe, signaling that Armenia's future lies in deeper integration with the West and expressing hope that the country could one day join the EU. European Commission Vice-President Kaja Kallas said on Monday that Armenians appeared to have voted for a "European future," adding: "The votes are being counted but it looks like now that Armenia's people, although under heavy Russian pressure, still chose to have a European future, which is a good thing. We are trying to help them as much as possible on their future reforms."
Pashinyan also received an endorsement from Donald Trump, who described him as "a great friend and leader." The US has taken an increasingly prominent role in brokering peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Nagorno-Karabakh and Domestic Challenges
Sunday's vote is the first national election since Armenia's loss of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan in 2023, a traumatic defeat ending more than three decades of Armenian control. The opposition portrayed the loss as evidence of Pashinyan's failures, accusing him of surrendering historical lands. Pashinyan has tried to turn the issue into a political asset, arguing that the pursuit of Karabakh trapped Armenia in perpetual conflict and dependence on Russia, presenting the painful chapter as a necessary starting point for a more secure future.
However, difficulties remain. Pashinyan failed to secure the supermajority needed to call a referendum on amending the constitution, including removing references that Azerbaijan says imply territorial claims to Nagorno-Karabakh—a crucial condition for a final peace agreement. Lilit Mkrtchyan, a shopkeeper from Yerevan, said Pashinyan's victory would bring "peace and stability to Armenia. Armenians are tired of war. We want to be an open, European country that develops and prospers, where I don't have to worry that my son will be called up to fight."
Strained Relations with Russia
Pashinyan's course has put him in Moscow's crosshairs. Many Armenians became disillusioned with Russia after Moscow failed to aid Armenia when Azerbaijan seized Nagorno-Karabakh, despite Russian peacekeepers in the region. The fallout prompted Pashinyan to suspend Armenia's participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, marking the most dramatic rupture in relations since independence. In the run-up to the election, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Armenia was heading down the same path as Ukraine. Armenian officials accused Russia of attempting to influence the election through disinformation campaigns and efforts to fly Armenians living in Russia home to vote against Pashinyan. Moscow also imposed trade restrictions on flowers, fish, fruit, and Armenian brandy.
Mindful of Armenia's deep economic dependence on Russia and cheap Russian gas, Pashinyan promised after the vote to pursue a balanced foreign policy, insisting that "there is no question of choosing" between Russia and the West. He has been buoyed by strong economic growth after the influx of Russian businesses and capital following the invasion of Ukraine, leading him to invest heavily in Armenia's regions, where his support remains strongest.
Democratic Concerns and Opposition
Observers have pointed to Pashinyan's increasingly personalized style of politics and what critics describe as growing authoritarian tendencies in a country that remains a rare democratic outlier in a region governed by strongmen. In the run-up to elections, authorities arrested opposition figures, including members of Karapetyan's party, on charges ranging from vote-buying to calls to overthrow the government. Karapetyan was detained in June and charged with calling for the seizure of power, leading him to campaign from house arrest. After the election, Pashinyan said his party's priority would be dismantling the "criminal-oligarchic system" and that leading opposition figures should face prosecution.
On the campaign trail, Pashinyan at times appeared erratic, engaging in angry public disputes with refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, whom he accused of having "run away" rather than staying to fight. The EU has largely brushed aside criticism of Pashinyan, making little secret of its support for Armenia's shift away from Moscow. This week, Brussels announced an initial €50 million support package to help Armenia withstand Russian economic pressure.
Karen Grigoryan, a doctor who voted for Karapetyan, said: "Pashinyan is not the man he was when he came to power." Referring to the Ottoman-era mass killings of Armenians, he added: "We can't just be friendly with Turkey and pretend the past is erased." Observers say many voters backed Pashinyan largely because the opposition remains widely discredited and closely linked to Russia. Tatul Hakobyan, a popular commentator, said: "People are choosing the lesser of two evils. The alternatives to Pashinyan are much worse."
