Strong Armenia Files Formal Complaint Seeking to Overturn June 7 Election Results

Armenia’s opposition-led Strong Armenia Alliance has formally challenged the results of the country’s June 7 parliamentary elections, submitting an application to the Central Election Commission (CEC) seeking to have the vote annulled.

Aram Vardevanyan, a representative of the alliance and a parliamentary candidate, alleged that the election process was marred by the misuse of administrative resources, politically motivated criminal prosecutions, the creation of a climate of fear, and multiple violations on election day.

The alliance has questioned at least 100,000 votes cast for the ruling Civil Contract party, arguing that the scale of the alleged irregularities calls the official outcome into doubt.

According to Vardevanyan, Civil Contract did not secure a legitimate outright victory and the election should have proceeded to a second round of voting.

The Central Election Commission is expected to review the complaint on Sunday, the same day it is scheduled to publish the final official results of the parliamentary election.

In its submission, Strong Armenia also requested a repeat vote, a separate issue that the CEC must consider independently. Vardevanyan argued that if irregularities recorded at disputed polling stations are found to have affected the overall outcome of the election, the authorities would be obligated to organize a new vote in those locations.

The challenge adds to a growing number of post-election disputes as opposition groups continue to contest the preliminary results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections.

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