Editor's Note: This is a developing story and is being updated. Armenia's parliamentary election on June 7 saw the country's highest voter turnout since 2017, as citizens cast their ballots to determine the makeup of the National Assembly — and decide whether Yerevan will pursue a European alliance or deepen ties with Russia. As of 8 p.m. local time, 1,476,597 Armenians (58.97% of the population) have participated in the vote, according to the country's Central Electoral Commission. The turnout represents the highest participation levels in the past three elections. The election will determine whether Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party win a third term in office. Pashinyan's primary challenger is Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, whose pro-Russian Strong Armenia party has emerged as the driving force among the opposition even though Karapetyan is currently under house arrest facing charges of money laundering, tax evasions, and attempts to usurp the government. The vote comes at a turning point in Armenian politics, as Pashinyan's government has increasingly pulled Yerevan away from Russia, its traditional ally, and sought closer ties with the West. While Russia has a longstanding military and economic partnership with Armenia, the strained relationship has deteriorated further since Moscow failed to protect Armenia from Azerbaijan during the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis in 2024. Disillusioned, Armenia "froze" its participation in the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), though it technically remains a member of the alliance. In April 2025, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan signed a law to formally begin Armenia's accession process to the European Union. Since then, the EU has stepped up financial support for Armenia, allocating 30 million euros ($35 million) to the Armenian Armed Forces and 270 million euros ($320 million) to the country's economy and European integration.Yerevan has also recently signed strategic partnership declarations with the U.K. and France. The first Armenia-EU summit was held in Yerevan on May 4-5. One of the guests was President Volodymyr Zelensky, marking his first official trip to the country, and sparking outrage in Moscow.Pashinyan further snubbed Russia by refusing the Kremlin's invitation to attend May 9 Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. Amid Pashinyan's westward tilt, Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened a "Ukrainian scenario" for Armenia if it continues building ties with the EU. The Kremlin has already pulled its ambassador from Yerevan and threatened to cancel a 2013 agreement guaranteeing duty-free exports of natural gas and petroleum products to Armenia.Russia has also been accused of meddling in the Armenian election, with Reuters reporting that Moscow plans to bus thousands of Russian-Armenians back to the country to cast votes.Disinformation narratives targeting Pashinyan have also spread via social media and various fake news websites. The campaigns accuse the prime minister of crime, corruption and even possessing an incurable disease. Pashinyan has received support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who offered his "COMPLETE and TOTAL endorsement" to the incumbent prime minister on May 27. Armenia’s Independent Observer Mission said that as of 2 p.m. on election day, it had recorded 536 violations at 387 polling stations across the country. The Armenian General Prosecutor's Office also said it has received and processed a total of 293 reports of alleged election-related criminal offenses since February 2026, resulting in 174 criminal investigations.