Yerevan, Armenia. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan after his Civil Contract party won a majority in Armenia’s parliament in Sunday’s parliamentary election. The result allows Pashinyan to extend his term in office until 2031.
Congratulatory message from Cyprus
Christodoulides said in a social media post: “Warmest congratulations, Nikol Pashinyan, on your election victory. The people of Armenia have reaffirmed their commitment to a European future. Cyprus stands ready to further elevate our bilateral cooperation and relations between the European Union and Armenia.”
Election result
Civil Contract won 64 of the 105 seats in Armenia’s parliament, taking just shy of half of the votes cast across the country. Pashinyan, who became prime minister following the “velvet revolution” of 2018, is now set to remain in office until 2031.
Background to Pashinyan’s leadership
The “velvet revolution” was a series of protests held in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, and in cities across the world with large Armenian populations. The protests brought down the government led by Serzh Sargsyan and marked a shift away from alignment with Russia that had characterised Armenian diplomacy since the first world war.
Post-election remarks
After victory was secured on Monday, Pashinyan told a press conference: “The people of Armenia voted for peace, regional prosperity, and regional cooperation, and I hope this will be met with a positive response from Turkey and Azerbaijan.” He added, “we need to institutionalise peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan”.
When casting his vote on Sunday, he also highlighted plans for closer ties with Europe, saying that “the European Union is our main partner in democratic reform implementation, and we will continue that path”.
Reaction from Brussels
The result was also welcomed in Brussels. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Pashinyan and said “the spirit of the velvet revolution you led in 2018 is alive and well”.
She added that “we deeply value our partnership with a democratic Armenia that is drawing ever closer to Europe”, and that “Armenia can count on us”.
Response from Turkey
Turkey also expressed satisfaction with the result, with the country’s foreign ministry saying it “welcomes” that the elections “were concluded in a peaceful and calm atmosphere”.
“In the post-election period, we hope that Armenia will take bolder steps towards peace and normalisation in the region. Turkey will continue to contribute to regional stability and prosperity, as it has done to date, based on the common interests of the countries of the region,” it said.
