Parliamentary elections are being held in Armenia. The main issue in them has become relations with Russia

Photo: AP Photo / Anthony Pizzoferrato

Polling stations opened at 08:00 local time (7 AM Minsk time) and will operate until 20:00. The Central Election Commission intends to announce preliminary results the day after voting, with final results becoming known no later than on the seventh day.

As BBC correspondent Grigor Atanesyan explains,

the current elections could determine Armenia's course for decades to come.

During Pashinyan's eight years as prime minister, Armenia suffered defeat in the war over Nagorno-Karabakh and experienced severe upheavals, but critics of the government failed to offer society a worthy alternative. Unpopular former presidents, linked with corruption in the public consciousness, remained the financial and ideological centers of the opposition.

The current government led by Pashinyan declares its desire to draw closer to Europe. Russia, in turn, warned Armenia about the danger of such a decision and started a trade war against the country.

In May, a large-scale EU-Armenia summit took place in Yerevan, attended by leaders of many European countries and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

At it, French President Emmanuel Macron assured that "Armenia is resolutely moving towards Europe," and the head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, made it clear that EU membership could be open for Yerevan.

In reality, for now, there is no talk even of candidate status for EU membership. Only visa-free travel to Europe for Armenian citizens is being discussed.

Putin's Threats and Trade War

However, Yerevan's rhetoric angers the Kremlin, and they often remind that joining the EU is incompatible with membership in the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) — a customs bloc led by Moscow, from which Armenia derives significant benefits.

After the May 9th parade in Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin was asked to comment on the absence of Pashinyan and other representatives of the Armenian leadership from Red Square.

Initially, the Russian president said that Moscow "sees nothing special" in Armenia's plans to draw closer to the EU and would support everything that "benefits the Armenian people." But then Putin began listing the benefits Armenia receives from participating in the EAEU and suggested Yerevan "make up its mind" — even hinting at a referendum.

He then uttered a phrase that some interpreted as a direct threat: he drew a parallel between Armenia and Ukraine, against which Russia is waging war.

“What did it start with? With Ukraine joining or attempting to join the EU!” — said Putin, and began recounting his usual version of the events of 2013-14 in Ukraine. Then he returned to Armenia: “Therefore, there is no need to take it to extremes.”

Since late May, Russia has consistently begun imposing sanctions against various Armenian goods. On May 22, it banned flower supplies from Armenia; on May 23 and 25 — mineral water, Armenian brandy, and wine; on May 30 — tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, spices, and strawberries; on June 2 — grapes, apricots, sweet cherries, and peaches (this occurred a few days before the harvest began).

Russia remains Armenia's most important trade partner, accounting for 36% of its foreign trade turnover in 2025.

“Moscow is trying to somehow influence the final outcome of the June 7 vote,” economist Hayk Fanayan told a BBC correspondent. “We in Armenia believe that this is very closely related to current political processes.”

At the same time, Fanayan notes that Armenia's dependence on Russian weapons has sharply decreased: 95% of military supplies come to the country from India, France, China, and other countries.

Opposition Close to Russia

Many opposition parties in Armenia are considered significantly closer to Moscow than the country's current government.

Long before the current elections, Pashinyan launched a large-scale campaign against the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Pashinyan and his entourage accuse the bishops of working for the Kremlin, as well as of immoral behavior. Neither has been proven in court. The church calls these attacks a fight against Christianity.

When its main patron, Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, spoke in defense of the church, he was arrested and accused of incitement to seize power. “Electric Networks of Armenia,” which belonged to him, were transferred to state control.

Pashinyan accuses his opponent of ties with the Kremlin and Russian special services (Karapetyan denies this) and calls him the "Kaluga oligarch" because he lived and worked in Kaluga for a long time.

Before his arrest, Karapetyan did not openly participate in Armenian politics, but afterwards, he created an opposition party. He himself cannot participate in the elections, as in addition to Armenian citizenship, he also holds Russian and Cypriot citizenship.

Accusations of Suppressing Opposition

Pashinyan's opponents accuse him of persecuting political opponents.

Although European politicians, like the Prime Minister himself, speak of strong democratic institutions, in recent years, opposition figures, bloggers, and public figures who criticize the government, as well as the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church and its bishops, have become subjects of criminal cases. This was often preceded by criticism from Pashinyan.

In mid-May, one of the biggest scandals of the election campaign occurred when Artur Osipyan, a refugee from Karabakh, argued with the prime minister at a rally about the fate of the territory. As a result, Osipyan was pulled away by Pashinyan's security, the head of government hurled insults at him, and then the man was arrested and sent to a pre-trial detention center.

Human rights groups called the accusations against Osipyan "illegal, baseless, and politically motivated."

On Saturday, Armenian authorities arrested five candidates from Karapetyan's bloc (while he himself remains under house arrest). The nature of the charges brought against these individuals has not been reported.

How the Electoral System Works in Armenia

The voter lists include 2,485,000 people; there will be no voting at foreign polling stations.

The elections are held under a proportional representation system. To enter parliament, parties need to gain 4% of the votes; blocs consisting of two or three parties — 8%, and broader coalitions (of four or more parties) — 10%.

Four seats in the National Assembly are reserved for representatives of the four largest communities — Yezidis, Russians, Assyrians, and Kurds.

As a result of the elections, to form a government, a majority (of one party or coalition) of deputies, comprising 54% of the seats in parliament, must be formed.

If this is not achieved, a second round of voting may occur, involving the two leading political forces (parties or blocs).

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