Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared victory in general elections that were seen as a test of Russia's influence in the South Caucasus country. Preliminary results showed his ruling party garnered more than twice as many votes as the next contender. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Pashinyan sought a strong mandate for a new geopolitical course, including distancing from Moscow and deepening cooperation with the West. "The European Union is our main partner in carrying out democratic reforms, and we will continue this path," Pashinyan said while voting on Sunday.
Pashinyan's party "Civil Contract" came first with 49.82% of the vote, according to the latest preliminary results. His main opponent is Samuel Karapetyan, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia.