Parliamentary elections in Armenia: Analysts expect Pashinyan to win

Armenian citizens are voting today in parliamentary elections, in which, according to analysts, the current government led by Prime Minister Nikola Pashinyan is expected to win.

Two blocs and 17 parties are participating in today's elections, and most analysts believe that Pashinyan, who has been in power since 2018, will win again.

Pashinyan's ruling Civil Contract party plans to strengthen ties with Europe and distance itself from Russia, which is opposed by most of the opposition, which includes mainly pro-Russian parties.

The Armenian Parliament has 101 seats, and members of parliament are elected for a five-year term, with parties having to pass a four percent threshold to enter the Assembly, and coalitions of three or more parties having an eight percent threshold.

Pashinyan has repeatedly spoken about the need for a balanced foreign policy that ensures Armenia maintains good relations with the United States (US), Europe, and Russia, as well as regional powers such as Turkey and Iran.

Despite this, he attracted far more enthusiasm in the West than in Moscow, and was supported by several European leaders, as well as US President Donald Trump.

Trump recently said on social media that Pashinyan "is making his country strong, wealthy and very safe," while Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that "if the Armenian people see the benefits of joining the EU, then we certainly have nothing to say against it."

Pro-Russian opposition parties in today's elections include Strong Armenia, which has accused Pashinyan of trying to start a war with Moscow, as well as the Prosperous Armenia Party and the Hayastan bloc, led by former President Robert Kocharyan.

Yesterday, according to investigators, six arrest warrants were issued for members of the opposition party Strong Armenia, on charges of vote buying.

The Central Election Commission confirmed yesterday that the party could run after a member of another opposition party, Republika, appealed for the Strong Armenia party to be banned from participating due to corruption allegations.

In recent weeks, the Kremlin has reduced Armenian exports with a series of restrictions and sharply criticized Yerevan's foreign policy path, which the European Commission has described as "economic coercion."

Putin claims that Armenia cannot join the EU and remain in the Eurasian Economic Union, a customs bloc led by Russia.