Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party Loses Ground in Key Armenian Local Elections

Armenia’s ruling party, Civil Contract, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, faced a setback in Gyumri, the country’s second-largest city, as it failed to secure an absolute majority in the municipal elections held on Sunday. This election was seen as an important measure of Pashinyan’s political influence ahead of future national elections.

The Central Election Commission of Armenia announced on Monday that with nearly all votes counted,  Sarik Minasyan representing Civil Contract secured 36.2% of the total vote.

However, this was not enough to gain control over the city council, which is responsible for electing Gyumri’s next mayor. A significant development was the failure of Civil Contract’s likely ally, the Eurovote bloc, to surpass the required 6% threshold for representation in the council.

The Communist Party of Armenia, led by former Gyumri mayor Vardan Ghukasyan, finished second with 20.5% of the vote. Other opposition parties that gained seats included:

• Our City Bloc (Martun Grigoryan) – 15.5%

• My Strong Community (Ruben Mkhitaryan) – 7.9%

• Mother Armenia Alliance (Karen Simonyan) – 6.1%

With these results, opposition groups now hold at least 18 of the 33 city council seats, giving them the power to elect a mayor from among their ranks. Ghukasyan, who served as mayor from 1999 to 2012, has expressed his intention to return to office if he garners enough support from opposition groups.

Shortly after the election results were announced, two of the opposition groups, led by Mkhitaryan and Simonyan, pledged their support for Ghukasyan as mayor without requesting power-sharing agreements. However, Grigoryan, another key opposition figure, has not yet publicly declared his stance but he did publicly post a statement saying, “Dear Gyumri residents, I confirm what I said: Civil Contract will not have a mayor in Gyumri, that is for sure.”

If opposition forces unite around Ghukasyan, they could effectively block Civil Contract’s ability to influence municipal governance. This shift could significantly impact the ruling party’s control over local administrations across the country.

The election was not without controversy. Some opposition groups and independent election monitors reported irregularities during the voting process. However, there were no allegations of systematic fraud that could have dramatically altered the outcome.

In a separate incident, law enforcement authorities detained several supporters from the opposition Our City Bloc, including an elderly woman. Armenia’s Anti-Corruption Committee accused them of committing election-related crimes, but it did not provide further details. Earlier, eight other supporters, including Grigoryan’s father and son, were arrested on allegations of bribery and voter manipulation. These individuals were later released, and opposition leaders have dismissed the charges as politically motivated.

In another election on the same day, held in a major community of Parakar, in Armarvir Province – Civil Contract suffered a more significant defeat. The opposition Aprelu Yerkir party (The Country to Live Party) secured a decisive victory, winning over 56% of the vote. This further shows the ruling party’s waning influence at the local level.

The newly elected Gyumri City Council will convene on April 16 to vote for the city’s next mayor. Given the opposition’s numerical advantage, it is likely that they will successfully elect a candidate of their choice, potentially marking the return of Vardan Ghukasyan to the mayor’s office.

For Prime Minister Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party, the results in Gyumri and other local elections signal growing political challenges. While they remain the dominant force at the national level, local defeats suggest a shifting political landscape that could impact future national elections and governance in Armenia.