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Russia suffers a hard defeat to the EU in Armenia as Pashinyan wins absolute majority
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Russia suffers a hard defeat to the EU in Armenia as Pashinyan wins absolute majority

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan secured an absolute majority in Sunday's elections, despite Russian diplomatic pressure and sanctions.
  • Pashinyan's Civil Contract party won 49.82% of the vote, allowing him to form a government alone.
  • The election results are seen as a significant defeat for Russia and a victory for the European Union's influence in Armenia.

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has decisively won an absolute majority in Sunday's parliamentary elections, securing a mandate to govern alone and signaling a significant shift in the country's geopolitical alignment. The victory represents a notable setback for Russia, which had exerted considerable diplomatic pressure and imposed sanctions on Armenia in an effort to influence the outcome.

I want to congratulate the people of the Republic of Armenia on the victory. The Armenian people came out in defense of the state, independence, the future and peace.

— Nikol PashinyanArmenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan celebrating his election victory.

Pashinyan's Civil Contract party garnered 49.82% of the preliminary official vote count, surpassing the threshold needed to form a government without coalition partners. This outcome defied expectations and Russian efforts to support the opposition. The main opposition party trailed significantly with 23.28%, while the Armenia bloc, led by former President Robert Kocharyan, secured 9.94%.

"I want to congratulate the people of the Republic of Armenia on the victory. The Armenian people came out in defense of the state, independence, the future, and peace," Pashinyan declared. His win is being interpreted as a strong endorsement of his pro-European stance and his commitment to normalizing relations with neighbors, including Azerbaijan and Turkey. European officials, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, quickly congratulated Pashinyan, highlighting Armenia's growing proximity to Europe.

The democratic Armenian is 'getting closer and closer to Europe'.

— Ursula von der LeyenEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen commenting on Armenia's election results.

Pashinyan has indicated his intention to pursue reforms aimed at formalizing an agreement with Azerbaijan and reopening the border with Turkey, steps he believes are fundamental to breaking Armenia's isolation. His government plans to work on constitutional changes to facilitate these diplomatic initiatives, signaling a clear departure from historical grievances and a focus on future stability and integration.

the Armenians opted for the 'European future'.

— Kaja KallasEU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas celebrating Armenia's election results.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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