YEREVAN - Armenians are voting on Sunday to elect the next composition of parliament in elections that, according to agencies, will test support for the pro-Western direction of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, as well as his efforts to achieve peace with Azerbaijan. Polls suggest that his ruling Civil Contract party may win.

“I really like how Armenia is growing right before my eyes,” said 39-year-old Karine Darbinyan at a pro-government rally in Yerevan on Friday, according to Reuters. “The first task is to get rid of him,” said 77-year-old Armen Pogosyan, chairman of a consumer association, according to AFP, who accuses Pashinyan of losing Nagorno-Karabakh.

Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, but it has historically been inhabited mainly by Armenians. Azerbaijan and Armenia have fought two wars over the region in recent decades. In 2023, Baku regained control of the region with a swift military operation, ending decades of rule by Armenian separatists. Yerevan, like the Russian troops present, did not intervene militarily in the fighting.

The opposition and part of society blame Pashinyan for surrendering to Azerbaijan, whose president, Ilham Aliyev, signed a declaration in Washington last year in the presence of US President Donald Trump, in which both leaders pledged to strive for peace. Armenia was part of the Soviet Union, and after its collapse, it was among Russia's closest allies. A Russian military base is still located on its territory. In recent years, however, Pashinyan has advocated for closer ties with the West.

Relations between Yerevan and Moscow began to deteriorate significantly around 2023. Armenia then joined the International Criminal Court (ICC), which Russia called a hostile move. A year later, Yerevan effectively froze its participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a military alliance led by Moscow. Last year, the Armenian parliament also passed a law declaring the country's intention to seek membership in the European Union.

According to Reuters, Moscow has been increasing pressure on Armenia ahead of the elections. Russian President Vladimir Putin told Yerevan that the country cannot simultaneously join the EU and remain a member of the Russia-led Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Russia has also banned the import of some Armenian products and threatened to terminate a favorable gas supply agreement. About a third of Armenian exports go to Russia, and the country has long been dependent on Moscow for energy.

Recent polls, according to Reuters, showed that Pashinyan's Civil Contract is leading with support from around 30 percent of voters. His main rival, Russia-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who advocates for closer ties with Moscow, is lagging behind with between six and 11 percent of the vote.

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