Armenia: Pro-Russian opposition alliance files request to election commission to annul parliamentary election results

A pro-Russian opposition alliance on Monday filed a request with Armenia's election commission to annul the results of last Sunday's parliamentary elections, which were won by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's ruling party, Reuters reports.

The request was submitted by Strong Armenia, party member Aram Vardevanyan told reporters in the capital Yerevan, after opposition groups pointed to alleged irregularities during the vote.

A strong Armenia won 23,2 percent of the vote in the June 7 elections, running on a pro-business platform and promising to preserve Armenia's traditionally close ties with Russia, from which the South Caucasus country buys much of its energy.

Pashinyan's Civil Contract party, which has strengthened ties with Western countries since coming to power in 2018, won 49,8 percent of the vote and fended off a challenge from mostly pro-Russian opposition groups.

The Central Election Commission is due to announce final results on Sunday. On Thursday, it declared results at two polling stations invalid, citing the concentration of military personnel at polling stations after the polls closed, according to Armenian media reports.

This reduced the vote share of another opposition party, Prosperous Armenia, bringing the party below the four percent threshold required to enter parliament, its leader said.

Opposition groups have complained about a series of arrests before the vote, which they say targeted their parliamentary candidates and supporters.

A group of international election observers, although registering allegations of vote-buying and other electoral irregularities, reported that voting at most polling stations went smoothly.