Armenia’s Vote: A Shift Toward the West

The first national election after a major loss to Azerbaijan has just begun. Early counts from only five percent of polling places show the ruling party, Civil Contract, winning about 57 percent. This result comes from Armenia’s election board shown on public television. The second strongest group is the pro‑Russian Strong Armenia alliance, with roughly 21 percent of the vote. The third place is held by the Armenia Alliance, led by former President Robert Kocharyan, at about 8 percent. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has been working to bring Armenia closer to Western countries.He also wants a lasting peace with Azerbaijan after years of conflict and political change. The election tests Pashinyan’s strategy. It pits his party against three main opposition groups that favor closer ties with Russia. Opinion polls before the vote showed Civil Contract ahead, receiving up to 32 percent of support. Strong Armenia was second in those polls with about 11 percent. The results are still early. More stations will report, which may shift the final numbers. Observers will watch closely to see if the western direction continues.