Armenia election: PM Nikol Pashinyan wins by landslide

The international media actively covered the snap parliamentary elections in Armenia. In particular, BBC writes that acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has won a convincing victory in Sunday's snap parliamentary election, consolidating his authority.

According to the Reuters, final official results show that the centrist My Step Alliance, which includes Mr Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party, won 70.4% of the vote. Its nearest rival, the moderate Prosperous Armenia party won just over 8%. Led by tycoon and arm-wrestling champion Gagik Tsarukyan, it was part of the ruling coalition in the outgoing parliament. Bright Armenia, a liberal pro-Western party, won about 6% of the vote.                            

The Guardian writes that former newspaper editor marks dramatic break from the cadre of rulers who have run Armenia since the late 1990s.

The Washington Post writes: “The election’s outcome reflects Pashinyan’s broad popularity. He has tapped into public anger over widespread poverty, high unemployment and rampant corruption in Armenia. The results will allow him to further consolidate power and advance his agenda.

During the monthlong election campaign, Pashinian blasted members of the old Armenian elite as corrupt and pledged to revive the economy, to create new jobs and to encourage Armenians living and working abroad to return home.

The New York Times cites election observers for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe which praised the election Monday for “genuine competition,” saying the vote was “held with respect to fundamental freedoms and enjoyed broad public trust.”

Prepared by Marina Muradyan