Alexander Pracht
Armenia’s ruling Civil Contract party won local legislative elections in most of the 21 constituencies that voted across the country on Sunday, either on its own or as part of a coalition with the minor Entrepreneur party.
The spotlight fell on Stepanavan, a town in the northern province of Lori, where Entrepreneur, led by incumbent mayor Armen Grigoryan, secured 41.5% of the vote. Civil Contract came second with 35.3%, followed by the opposition Strong Armenia party with 19.7%.
Stepanavan also recorded the country’s highest turnout, with 68.8% of eligible voters casting ballots.
Authorities took into custody mayoral candidates Arthur Astoyan of the Country to Live party in Artik, Shirak province, and Aram Karapetyan of the opposition Our Community alliance in Martuni, Gegharkunik province, along with several members of their teams. Reports also emerged that Yeghegnadzor Mayor Davit Harutyunyan, his deputy Vardan Avagyan and three council members had been detained as well.
Civil Contract scored landslide victories in several communities, including the provincial capitals of Artashat, where it won 86%, Hrazdan with 90.8%, and Ijevan with 86.1%.
In Yeghegnadzor, the capital of the southern province of Vayots Dzor, Civil Contract narrowly defeated the largely pro-government Republic Party with 48% of the vote against 46.9%.
The newly elected councils will then select mayors, with seats allocated to parties in proportion to their share of the vote.
Despite the ruling party’s strong showing in multiple communities, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Monday that he was not content with some of the figures.
“I would like to put it directly that, as prime minister, I am by no means happy that Civil Contract received 90%, 80% or 70% of the vote in a number of communities,” Pashinyan said. “Although these results may seem pleasant at first glance, such percentages inevitably raise questions about the state of the opposition in Armenia.”
He added that his government was not interested in creating controlled opposition forces.
Armenia held parliamentary elections nationwide on June 7. Civil Contract won 49.7% of the vote, securing 64 of the National Assembly’s 105 seats. Strong Armenia came second with 23.3%, winning 29 seats, while former President Robert Kocharyan’s Armenia Alliance secured roughly 10% and 12 seats.
The next voting day in Armenia’s local communities is scheduled for November 29, including in the provincial capitals of Ashtarak and Kapan.
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