Armenians decided to turn the page on their tumultuous political past, giving incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan a strong mandate for a balanced, pro-West future, in what Pashinyan said was a "historic victory that will ensure Armenia's eternity and development" in his address following the vote.
Pashinyan pledged to "continue the course of rapprochement with the West" while also developing Armenia's relations with Russia, reaffirmed Yerevan’s commitment to peace and regional cooperation and said that strengthening the peace process with Azerbaijan and normalising relations with Turkey will continue to be key priorities for his government.
He said that the Armenians gave him a strong mandate in a show of support for peace, regional prosperity and cooperation.
"The Armenian people voted for regional prosperity and cooperation and I hope this will draw a positive response from Turkey and Azerbaijan," he told a news conference. "We need to institutionalise peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan."
After the final results were announced, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, “Armenia can count on us,” as she congratulated Pashinyan on his victory.
