Armenians voted in a parliamentary election on Sunday, June 7, 2026. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, leader of the governing Civil Contract party, is seeking a third term. Seventeen parties participated in the election. The vote is seen as a test of Armenia’s move away from Russia and toward the West, with opposition parties including those that are vocally pro-Russia. Samvel Karapetyan, a Russian-Armenian billionaire and leader of the pro-Russian Strong Armenia party, is the main challenger to Pashinyan and has been under house arrest since January. Russia is applying pressure on Armenia to prevent a drift toward the West, and the Kremlin has reacted with anger to Pashinyan’s pro-Western pivot. The election was affected by political polarization, hate speech, and stigmatization. According to gdelt, Pashinyan cast his ballot at a polling station in Yerevan on June 7, 2026. According to gdelt, Pashinyan stated that the European Union is Armenia’s main partner in democratic reform implementation and that Armenia will continue that path. According to euronews.com, Pashinyan called his election result a 'historic victory' that will ensure Armenia's eternity and development, and pledged to continue the course of rapprochement with the West while also developing relations with Russia. According to euronews.com, the election outcome signals Russia’s diminishing influence in the South Caucasus. According to france24, Armenia is navigating transitions between war and peace, dependence and diversification, and polarization and democratic consolidation. The guardian reported that Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party is the favorite to win the election. According to moscowtimes, the Kremlin has reacted with anger to Pashinyan’s pro-Western pivot.