The Armenians participate tomorrow, Sunday, in some historic legislative elections in which they will have to choose not only their new government, but also the geopolitical alignment of the Caucasian country for the coming decades.
The ancient metropolis, Russia; the European Unionwhich has encouraged Yerevan’s membership aspirations; USAwhich hopes to benefit from peace in the South Caucasus, and neighboring Iranare attentively awaiting the election results.
Paradoxically, what happens in this small landlocked nation -2.5 million people will go to the polls– can mark the future of a bridge region between the European market, Chinese goods and the natural resources of Central Asia.
Pashinián, the favorite, charges against the opposition
The Civic Contract party Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyanleads the polls with approximately 30% of voting intentionbut it is up in the air whether it will revalidate the parliamentary majority.
This is not trivial, since the Government needs that majority to reform the Constitution and sign the long-awaited peace treaty with Azerbaijanwhich the pro-Russian opposition opposes because Baku expelled the Armenians from Nagorno Karabakh.
YEREVAN (Armenia), 05/06/2026.- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addresses supporters during a final Civil Contract party campaign rally ahead of parliamentary elections at Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia, 05 June 2026. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for 07 June 2026 to elect members of the National Assembly. (Elecciones) EFE/EPA/HAYK BAGHDASARYAN /PHOTOLURE / HAYK BAGHDASARYAN /PHOTOLURE
Despite being the favorite, Pashinián has opted for the strategy of there being no better defense than a good attack. In his campaign closing rally he attacked those politicians who defend the interests of foreign powers and They pay bribes in exchange for votes. He even called for the arrest of the opponent and former president Robert Kocharian (1998-2008).
In fact, the Instruction Committee ordered this Saturday the arrest of more than 40 people for buying votes in favor of the principal opposition bloc, Strong Armenialed by the businessman Samvel Karapetianthe Kremlin candidate, who is under house arrest.
Strong Armenia, which has between 10 and 15% support, according to polls, accused the Government of trying to throw him out of the race presidential before the Central Electoral Commission, which rejected the protest.
Russia, between sanctions and the defense of democracy
Russia has been the great cheerleader of the campaign, since it has approved countless sanctions against Armenian agricultural importswhich has meant million-dollar losses for Yerevan.
Furthermore, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin demanded the prompt calling of a referendum so that the Caucasian country could choose between the EU and the Eurasian Economic Unionto which he has belonged since 2015, drawing up, in case of refusal, a parallelism with the Ukrainian conflict. And Moscow insists that the EU is its main strategic enemy by supporting kyiv with weapons.
According to the independent press, Moscow, which has a military base in the countryfinanced a media smear campaign of Pashinian and offered to finance the trip of thousands of voters residing in Russia.
On the other hand, in the final stretch Moscow has surprisingly chosen to defend the electoral procedures and accuse the Armenian government of a “crime against democracy” for their pressure on Strong Armenia.
“If this undemocratic scenario takes place (…) that would call into question the entire electoral process,” he said last night. Maria ZakharovaRussian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, to which the former Russian president, Dmitri Medvédev, He added that “such elections will not be considered legitimate” and that “even Washington and Brussels do not condone such actions.”
The EU and the US support their ally
However, as happened in Moldova, the European Union has not remained on the sidelines and openly supported Pashinian by holding its first bilateral summit and the meeting of the European Political Community in Yerevan in May.
It was not limited to that: after Moscow announced sanctions against Yerevan, Brussels granted him aid of 50 million euros this week to cover the losses caused to the agricultural sector and even opened the market to Armenian flowers.
“This is economic coercion (…) Moscow is militarizing economic relations to exert political pressure“, said Ursula von der Leyenhead of the European Commission, after speaking by phone with Pashinián.
Meanwhile, the president of the United States, Donald Trumpwhich hosted the signing of the preliminary peace agreement between Armenians and Azerbaijanis at the White House last year, supported the re-election of the Armenian leader on its social networks.
He responded by approving the memorandum for the laying of the TRIPP (Trump Route for Peace and Prosperity) and announcing this Friday the competition for the repair of the railway that will link Türkiye and Azerbaijan through an Armenian corridor.
“The Russians are not at all happy with our participation there. I think it is clear that they would like the current prime minister to lose the election as a result of his growing relationship with the US,” he said. Marco RubioUS Secretary of State, speaking before Congress.
