EU-Friendly Party Declares Election Victory in Armenia

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has declared victory in the nation's parliamentary elections, signaling a potential continuation of his pro-European political trajectory. The announcement comes as preliminary results indicate a strong performance by his Civil Contract party.

With approximately 16 percent of the votes counted by midnight, data from Armenia's Central Election Commission shows the Civil Contract party securing 54.4 percent of the ballots. This figure suggests a decisive win for Pashinyan's party, which advocates for closer ties with the European Union.

The main opposition, the pro-Russian party Strong Armenia, is positioned to become the second-largest party in parliament, currently garnering 22 percent of the votes. The election outcome is seen as a key indicator of Armenia's geopolitical orientation, with Pashinyan's government increasingly seeking alignment with Western institutions.