OSCE/ODIHR observers issue lengthy statement on  results of   parliamentary elections in Armenia

ArmInfo.OSCE/ODIHR observers have issued a lengthy statement on the results of the parliamentary elections in Armenia, held on June 7, assuring that  Armenian Armenia's voters were offered a genuine choice against a  backdrop of direct foreign pressure and uneven campaign  opportunities.

"The 7 June 2026 parliamentary elections offered voters a choice  among genuine political alternatives in a well-run process, although  direct pressure from abroad, in the form of escalating trade  restrictions and security threats were observed during the campaign,  aimed at unduly influencing voters in favor of the opposition,  international observers said in a preliminary statement released  today."

This campaign was highly confrontational, with divisive rhetoric, and  was marked by criticism of vote- buying and other electoral  violations that led to numerous criminal proceedings against  opposition candidates and activists, resulting in many opposition  supporters refraining from actively engaging in the campaign. This,  along with pressure on public sector employees to attend ruling party  events, and recently introduced social and economic measures, raised  concerns about the equality of opportunity to campaign," the  statement says.

"The concentration of arrests and criminal prosecutions against  opposition figures contributed to perceptions of selective justice,  while a polarized media landscape, inflammatory rhetoric,  misinformation, and persistent foreign pressure and interference  challenged Armenia's democratic resilience and the integrity of  public debate," said Farah Karimi, Special Co-ordinator and leader of  the short-term OSCE observer mission. "This underscores the  importance of continued efforts to strengthen democratic  institutions, safeguard fundamental freedoms, and foster public trust  in democratic processes." "The Armenian elections took place in a  particularly tense geopolitical context, with direct foreign  interference," said Damien Cottier, Head of the delegation of the  Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. "In particular,  pressure and threats from Russia authorities reached an unprecedented  and worrying level." The process was governed by revised  election-related laws and regulations that provide a sound basis for  democratic elections. Changes in recent years were mostly introduced  through an extensive consultative process and worked to improve the  legal framework, but some gaps and ambiguities persist, and a number  of previous ODIHR and Council of Europe Venice Commission  recommendations remain unaddressed.

"The importance of these elections, combined with polarizing rhetoric  throughout the campaign, created a tense atmosphere for both voters  and election officials," said Jevrosima Pejovic, Head of the OSCE PA  delegation. "Election bodies operated under heightened scrutiny,  while voters were exposed to sustained political pressure and intense  public debate. Tensions arising from domestic and external factors  added to the pressure surrounding these elections and influenced  public perception of the quality of electoral administration,  highlighting the importance of promoting a constructive political  climate and strengthening public confidence in electoral bodies."