Armenia’s pro-Europe party wins election and cements shift away from Russia

The Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, speaks to the media after parliamentary elections. Photograph: Anthony Pizzoferrato/AP View image in fullscreen The Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, speaks to the media after parliamentary elections. Photograph: Anthony Pizzoferrato/AP Armenia’s pro-Europe party wins election and cements shift away from Russia Result strengthens PM Nikol Pashinyan’s drive for deeper integration with Europe despite warnings from Moscow Armenia’s ruling pro-Europe party has won parliamentary elections, confirming the country’s pivot towards Europe and away from its traditional ally, Russia. Final results in the small South Caucasus country showed the prime minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party securing a slim majority, while the Strong Armenia alliance, led by the Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, won 25% of the seats in parliament. The result, which will be welcomed in Brussels but viewed with dismay in Moscow, strengthens Pashinyan’s hand as he pursues his signature and politically sensitive goal: a peace agreement with Armenia’s longtime adversary Azerbaijan and the normalisation of relations with Turkey. “The people of Armenia voted for peace, regional prosperity and regional cooperation, and I hope this will be met with a positive response from Turkey and Azerbaijan,” Pashinyan said at his campaign headquarters as the results began to trickle in. Pashinyan added that Armenia would continue to deepen ties with the west while maintaining its membership of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union. A former journalist who swept to power during the 2018 Velvet Revolution promising to dismantle Armenia’s oligarchic system, Pashinyan has campaigned on a platform of peace, arguing that ending Armenia’s decades-long confrontation with its neighbours would unlock economic opportunities, improve security and reduce its dependence on Russia. View image in fullscreen Pashinyan at a rally in the town of Ijevan, Armenia, in April 2018. Photograph: Gleb Garanich/Reuters The prime minister, known for his populist and at times divisive rhetoric, has sought closer ties with Europe , signalling that Armenia’s future lies in deeper integration with the west and expressing hope that the country could one day join the EU. The vice-president of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas, said on Monday that Armenians appeared to have voted for a “European future”. She added: “The votes are being counted but it looks like now that Armenia’s people, although under heavy Russian pressure, still chose to have a European future, which is a good thing … We are trying to help them as much as possible on their future reforms.” Pashinyan had also received an endorsement from Donald Trump, who described him as “a great friend and leader”. The US has taken an increasingly prominent role in efforts to broker a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Sunday’s vote is the first national election since Armenia’s loss of