Armenia's Pashinyan claims victory in parliamentary elections
Armenian Prime Minister and leader of the Civil Contract party Nikol Pashinyan holds a press conference following the parliamentary election at the party's headquarters in Yerevan early on June 8, 2026. (Photo by Karen MINASYAN / AFP)
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party led the opposition on June 8 in early results from parliamentary elections that could cement his Westward tilt, after threats from Moscow and claims of Russian interference.
Armenia and Russia are technically allies, but Moscow has compared the former Soviet republic's ambitions to join the European Union to the path it claims triggered its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Early results showed the ruling Civil Contract party leading Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan's Strong Armenia alliance by 51.2 to 23 percent, with 32.2 percent of electoral precincts reporting, the Central Election Commission said.
