‘Armenia reformist PM gets boost in local polls’ – International news media weigh in on Yerevan election

International news media have weighed in on the Yerevan City Council election.

Reuters noted that a famous actor has been elected Mayor of the Armenian capital.

“The My Step Alliance, which includes Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party, won 81.05 percent of the vote,” Reuters said, quoting the central electoral commission of Armenia.

“The election was held to replace Taron Margaryan, an influential member of the former ruling Republican Party, who resigned as mayor in July, two months after his party was ousted from national power,” Reuters said. “Former opposition leader Pashinyan became prime minister in May after the Republicans were toppled following weeks of mass protests against corruption and cronyism. Several street protests were later held to demand the resignation of Margaryan, the mayor,” added Reuters, noting that the Republican Party of Armenia, the HHK, did not run for office at the Sunday election.

France 24 has also addressed the Yerevan election, noting that “Armenia’s reformist PM gets boost in local polls”.

“Armenia’s new reformist prime minister on Monday won a landslide victory in municipal elections in the capital Yerevan, seen as a vote of confidence after protests brought him to power this year,” France24 wrote.

According to France24, the Yerevan elections were the “major first test for Nikol Pashinyan’s reformist drive after mass anti-government protests ousted veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian and propelled the 43-year-old to power in May”.

“The results mean that Pashinyan’s ally Hayk Marutyan, a 41-year-old former actor and comedian who also supported the mass protests, becomes Yerevan mayor.”

France 24 mentioned that the allies of the former leader of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan still constitute majority in parliament and that Pashinyan needs the people’s support to call snap elections.

Eurasianet reported the elections by writing “Yerevan gives a vote of confidence in Pashinyan”.

“The vote was the first since Pashinyan came to power this spring vowing to reform Armenia’s traditionally corrupt elections, and the results appeared to be both fair and to represent a significant vote of confidence in Pashinyan’s rule so far,” it said.

The My Step bloc has won a landslide victory in the Yerevan City Council elections Sunday, according to preliminary data. My Step’s candidate for Yerevan Mayor is Hayk Marutyan.

Preliminary counts of all precincts shows a massive 81,06% victory for My Step. 294,109 people voted for the alliance.

The Prosperous Armenia Party is the runner-up with only 6,95%, or 25,219 votes.

Luys (Light) bloc won 4,99%, or 18,112 votes.

The ARF garnered only 5882 votes (1,61%).

848,343 people were eligible to vote in the election, but the turnout was a bit over 360,000.