Pashinyan’s party leading in Armenian parliamentary election, Reuters reports

According to Ukrinform, Reuters reported this.

Pro-Russian opposition forces, including the Strong Armenia party, are trailing significantly in voter support.

Pre-election surveys showed Civil Contract leading with support from up to 32% of voters, while Strong Armenia was in second place with up to 11% support.

“A strong showing for Pashinyan would give him a mandate to conclude peace negotiations with Azerbaijan, with whom Armenia has been at intermittent war since the late 1980s, as well as to normalise relations with Turkey, a key ally of Baku's,” Reuters noted.

The election is also being closely watched by the European Union, which is seeking a new partner in the South Caucasus after neighboring Georgia moved away from its pro-Western course in recent years.

Pashinyan will need a two-thirds majority in parliament to call a referendum on constitutional amendments – a key condition set by Azerbaijan before signing a final peace agreement with Armenia.

If his party fails to secure the required number of seats, reaching an agreement with Baku could become more difficult, potentially stalling the peace process.

As reported by Ukrinform, voting for the ninth convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly began on the morning of June 7. Preliminary results were expected after polling stations closed later in the day.