Voters cast their ballots during parliamentary elections in Yerevan, Armenia, on June 7, 2026.
Moscow must re-evaluate its policies toward longtime ally Armenia after the party of Western-backed Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan won Sunday's election, Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs, has told RT.
According to the official tally, the ruling Civil Contract party received 49.81% of the vote - enough to form a government but not enough to carry out Pashinyan's proposed constitutional reforms without support from opposition MPs. The election was widely seen as a referendum on whether the small, landlocked post-Soviet nation in the South Caucasus should move closer to the EU at the expense of its historically close ties to Russia.
Opposition parties have accused Pashinyan of "usurping" power through what they described as pressure on election officials and the prosecution of political opponents.
"The turbulent campaign featured pressure on the opposition and apparent attempts at foreign influence from the EU, the US, and Russia," Lukyanov said on Monday, adding that the ruling party had failed to secure "a blank check."
"The struggle will continue, with new opposition forces entering the fray. They appear to have more energy and better prospects than their predecessors," he added.
Comment: The EU has ignored the arrests of opposition figures and the attacks on the Armenian Apostolic church.
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