Armenia's pro-West government wins election despite Russian pressure

Article excerpt

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and his Civil Contract Party won nearly half the vote in parliamentary elections, a decisive victory that defies months of Russian pressure on the pro-Western government. The party's strong showing cements Pashinyan's grip on power after years of regional turmoil, including a 2020 war with Azerbaijan that cost thousands of lives and prompted calls for his ouster from opposition forces. The result signals Armenian voters' preference for Pashinyan's pivot toward the West and away from Russia's sphere of influence, despite geopolitical headwinds and internal discontent over the territorial losses.