Agence France Presse
December 9, 2018 Sunday 4:15 PM GMT
Armenia votes in snap polls to cement reform drive
Yerevan, Dec 9 2018
Armenians voted Sunday in parliamentary elections triggered years
ahead of schedule by reformist leader Nikol Pashinyan, who is aiming
to cement his political authority in the post-Soviet country.
The 43-year-old former journalist became prime minister in May after
spearheading weeks of peaceful anti-government rallies that ousted
veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian.
He has pledged to root out endemic corruption and address widespread
poverty, earning him supporters in the impoverished landlocked nation
of about three million people.
"After the elections, we will be developing Armenian democracy and
make an economic revolution happen," Pashinyan told reporters after
casting his ballot, pledging to "hold free, fair, and transparent
elections."
Pashinyan's reform drive had been stalled for months by opposition
from Sarkisian's ruling party, which dominated the National Assembly
until his calculated resignation triggered parliament's dissolution
last month.
At a polling station in central Yerevan voters expressed optimism
about the political change promised by Pashinyan and vented their
anger at former corrupt officials.
"Thanks to the revolution, we will finally have fair elections,"
72-year-old pensioner Parzik Avetisyan told AFP.
"I voted for the positive change promised by Nikol (Pashinyan)," he added.
Another voter, 52-year-old painter Garnik Arakelyan, said: "I want all
those corrupt officials who for many years were robbing and
humiliating people to be jailed."
Turnout was 39.54 percent by 5:00 pm (1300 GMT), eight hours after
polls opened, the central election commission said.
Pashinyan's party is expected to garner a majority in the new
legislature, allowing him to push ahead with his campaign to reshape
the South Caucasus nation's political landscape and spark an "economic
revolution".
"Pashinyan's party is likely to take a dominant position in the newly
elected parliament and to get all the levers they need to step up
promised economic and political reforms," analyst Gevorg Poghosyan
told AFP.
Last week, Pashinyan -- who is acting prime minister -- promised "the
best elections Armenia has ever seen", without ballot stuffing or
voter intimidation.
- 'Revolutionary euphoria' -
Parliamentary elections had not been scheduled to be held until 2022.
Analysts say Pashinyan sought new elections while he is at the peak of
his popularity.
In September, his bloc had a landslide victory in municipal elections,
winning more than 80 percent of the vote in the capital Yerevan, where
nearly 40 percent of the former Soviet Republic's population lives.
"The elections were called on the wave of a revolutionary euphoria,"
Poghosyan told AFP.
"But after the polls, that sentiment will inevitably weaken and
Pashinyan and his team will face a reality check."
On foreign policy, Pashinyan has said Armenia will "further strengthen
(our) strategic alliance with Russia and, at the same time, step up
cooperation with the United States and European Union".
Nine political parties and two electoral blocs are competing for
mandates in the 101-seat National Assembly.
A party needs at least five percent of the votes to be elected to
parliament, while an electoral bloc must clear a seven-percent
barrier.
But -- regardless of how many votes they win -- opposition parties
will take at least 30 percent of parliamentary seats, according to
Armenia's electoral law.
More than 2.6 million people were eligible to vote in the election
monitored by international observers from the Organisation for
Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Polls opened at 0400 GMT and closed at 1600 GMT. Results are expected
to be released in the early hours on Monday.