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Armenia elects its parliament on Sunday in early legislative elections called by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, weakened by his defeat against Azerbaijan in the fall of 2020.
Armenians are called to the polls on Sunday, June 20, during early legislative elections, in the midst of a political crisis. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian has found himself in great difficulty since the lost conflict with Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh in the fall of 2020. He was brought to power by a peaceful revolution in 2018, promising to oust him from the government the corrupt elites of this former Soviet Caucasian republic.
A ceasefire ended six weeks of fighting that left nearly 6,000 dead. Yerevan had to cede territories under its control for some thirty years, a concession which sparked major protests and calls for the resignation of Nikol Pachinian.
Faced with this mobilization, but also because of a conflict with the military staff, the Prime Minister, described as a “traitor” by the opposition, ended up calling early legislative elections.
The opposition mobilized
About 20,000 people gathered in Yerevan’s central square on Friday to support Robert Kocharian, the main opposition candidate, on the last day of a tight and tense campaign.
According to estimates from Agence France-Presse, the attendance of this rally was similar or slightly higher than that of supporters Nikol Pachinian, which was held the day before at the same place. “Kocharian!” Chanted protesters of all ages, including families with children. They were waving Armenian and Russian flags and those of the political formation of Robert Kotcharian, 66, who ruled this small Caucasian country from 1998 to 2008.
“We have come to solve the problems” of security and poverty, “the current power is not able to solve them”, launched the candidate in front of the crowd, calling on his compatriots to ensure the counting so that the authorities “do not” not steal our voices “.
“We trust Kotcharian, we entrust our lives and the future of our nation to him,” enthusiastic protester Medea Petrossian, a doctor, told AFP.
Fear of clashes
While Nikol Pachinian has already called on his supporters to meet in the central square on Monday to celebrate his victory, many fear clashes between the two most powerful parties.
Especially since Armenia is used to post-electoral uprisings: before the revolution of 2018, Nikol Pachinian, a former journalist, had been imprisoned for almost two years for his role in demonstrations repressed in blood in 2008. The The ceasefire agreement negotiated by Vladimir Putin and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers enabled Yerevan to retain most of Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani region populated mostly by Armenians. On the other hand, Armenia has lost large territories all around this region and has seen Azerbaijan return to its border, which has led to military clashes in recent weeks.
About 2.6 million Armenian voters are called to the polls to elect at least 101 deputies for five years. Four electoral blocs and 22 parties – a record – are in the running. If no majority or majority coalition emerges on Sunday, a second round will have to be organized on July 18 between the two parties having obtained the best score.
With AFP