Armenia election: what the vote could mean for Russia, the West and Azerbaijan

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, left, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participate in a media conference during the EU-Armenia summit at the Presidential Palace in Yerevan, Armenia, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. © Anthony Pizzoferrato / AP

As Armenians vote in a parliamentary election seen as a test of Nikol Pashinyan’s pro-Western course, RFI asks two regional experts what the result could mean for peace with Azerbaijan and relations with Russia.

Eight years after the street revolution that brought him to power, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is asking voters for a fresh mandate built around the promise of lasting peace with Azerbaijan and a reduced dependence on Russia.