Armenia's Ruling Party Wins Election Amid Russian Pressure

Sat Jun 13 2026 11:58:04 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Prime Minister Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party secured 49.8% of the vote, confirming a move toward the West despite Russian pressure and sanctions.

On Sunday, Armenian voters chose to keep Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party in power, with the party earning 49.8% of the vote in a contest seen as a test of Armenia’s pivot toward the West. The result comes after Russia’s intensified pressure on opposition parties, including a ban on Armenian exports and accusations of foreign interference. While the election was hailed by France and EU leaders, Russia’s foreign ministry warned that Armenians were becoming “extremely polarised” and that the country’s politics were under unprecedented pressure. Inside the capital, turnout was 59%, and many ordinary citizens expressed cautious optimism about the future, though the peace deal with Azerbaijan remains a divisive issue.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party has won the latest general election in Armenia, drawing 49.8% of the vote and securing a slim majority in the 107-seat assembly.

The vote, held on Sunday, was the first national election since Armenia’s crushing defeat in the 2023 war with Azerbaijan and a period of heavy economic pressure from its biggest trading partner, Russia.

Pro‑Western political force Civil Contract staged a victory over pro‑Russian opposition, with the Strong Armenia Alliance and the Armenia Alliance finishing second and third with 23.2% and 9.9% respectively.

Russia’s foreign‑policy spokesperson Maria Zakharova warned that the election had been conducted under “unprecedented pressure” on opposition parties and that the West had interfered. She also said the vote showed Armenians were becoming “extremely polarised.”

Despite a 30% drop in domestic support for Pashinyan from 54% in 2021 to roughly 30% in recent polls, the prime minister celebrated a historic win and said voters chose “peace, regional prosperity and cooperation.”

Internationally, France and the EU congratulated Pashinyan, praising Armenia’s outreach to the West, while the Russian government threatened sanctions and listed the economic costs of a pro‑European shift – highlighting that Russian gas was supplied at $177 per 1‑000 cubic metres versus more than $600 on the European market.

Prior to the poll, Moscow banned the export of Armenian flowers, mineral water, brandy, fresh vegetables and fruit, signalling a clamp‑down on trade, and urged a referendum on whether Armenia could join the EU or remains in the Russian‑led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Inside Yerevan, people moved through streets calmly as the results were announced, with many voters – such as Lala, a 70‑year‑old gardener – expressing measured optimism about the future, citing pension rises and free healthcare. Other residents, like Gohar, were sceptical of EU membership, noting the uncertain path for Armenia within the union.

Although the government’s peace deal with Azerbaijan – concluding the 2023 conflict – is a source of debate, opinion polls show a narrow margin for and against the agreement: 44% in favour, 41% opposed.

The election’s significance lies in its delicate balance: Armenia continues to cooperate with both the West and Russia, pledging to deepen ties with European leaders while remaining a member of the Eurasian Economic Union.