World

Armenia's ruling party leads parliamentary vote with 57% in early results

By Reuters Reuters

Updated June 7, 2026 6:15 PM

Members of an electoral commission count votes after polling stations closed in a parliamentary election in Yerevan, Armenia, June 7, 2026. Vahram Baghdasaryan/Photolure via REUTERS Vahram Baghdasaryan Reuters

YEREVAN - Early results from a small number of polling stations showed Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party leading in a parliamentary election with 57.14% of the vote, according to data from Armenia's electoral commission broadcast on public TV.

The data, taken from about 5% of Armenia's polling stations, showed the pro-Russian Strong Armenia alliance in second place, with about 21% of votes. The Armenia Alliance, led by former President Robert Kocharyan, was in third place with roughly 8%.

Sunday's vote, Armenia's first general election since a crushing military defeat by Azerbaijan in 2023, was viewed as a test of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's push to deepen ties with the West and secure a peace deal with Azerbaijan after years of conflict and political turbulence.

Pashinyan's Civil Contract, which has brought Armenia closer to the West since taking power in 2018, squared off against three main pro-Russian opposition parties.

Polls conducted before the vote showed the ruling party leading, backed by up to 32% of voters, with Strong Armenia trailing in second place with up to 11%.

(Reporting by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by Edmund Klamann)

A voter holds a ballot at a polling station during a parliamentary election in Yerevan, Armenia, June 7, 2026. Vahram Baghdasaryan/Photolure via REUTERS Vahram Baghdasaryan Reuters

Leader of the Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan visits a polling station during a parliamentary election in the village of Arinj near Yerevan, Armenia, June 7, 2026. Stringer/Photolure via REUTERS Stringer Reuters

A voter receives a ballot from an official at a polling station during a parliamentary election in Yerevan, Armenia, June 7, 2026. Hayk Baghdasaryan/Photolure via REUTERS Hayk Baghdasaryan Reuters

Catholicos Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, waits before casting a ballot at a polling station during a parliamentary election in Vagharshapat (Etchmiadzin community), Armenia, June 7, 2026. Vahram Baghdasaryan/Photolure via REUTERS Vahram Baghdasaryan Reuters

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 7, 2026 at 5:46 PM.

Get unlimited digital access

#ReadLocal