Significant Victory for Supporters of Armenian Prime Minister in Elections

The coalition supporting Nikol Pashinyan, the interim Prime Minister of Armenia, has achieved a remarkable victory in the country's early parliamentary elections. Pashinyan's supporters easily surpassed their main rivals, securing over 70% of the votes. The closest electoral rival to Nikol Pashinyan was Gagik Tsarukyan, an Armenian businessman and former ally of Serzh Sargsyan. In third place was the liberal, pro-Western party 'Bright Armenia' led by Edmond Marukyan, a former ally of Nikol Pashinyan. Pashinyan described the elections on December 10 as 'clear and transparent' and told reporters, 'The citizens of our country are voting to establish a revolutionary majority, and they are doing so in a calm atmosphere.' Pashinyan, a journalist who wrote about government corruption, was the one who led protests against Serzh Sargsyan and his government, ultimately forcing him to resign from leadership. Protests in Armenia began after Serzh Sargsyan, ten years after his presidency, increased the powers of the prime minister's office through constitutional changes and was elected as prime minister by parliament just a week after leaving the presidency. Nikol Pashinyan entered negotiations with a parliament still dominated by Sargsyan's supporters in mid-May after widespread protests. Ultimately, parliament elected him as the country's prime minister. Two weeks after Sargsyan's resignation, Pashinyan assumed the premiership on May 18. He eventually called for early elections following his resignation from the premiership. Pashinyan has promised to end government corruption, improve the economy, and reduce the high unemployment rates in his country. He also stated that he would maintain Yerevan's traditional and close relations with Moscow, although he has expressed a desire for closer ties with the United States and the European Union. The Armenian parliament has 101 seats.