PACE report covers shortcomings in Armenia’s parliamentary elections

Three months after Armenia’s parliamentary elections, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has published its assessment of the vote, highlighting both democratic resilience and shortcomings in the electoral process.

National Assembly Speaker Ruben Rubinyan highlighted a passage from the report’s conclusion, which states that “despite shortcomings and unprecedented external pressure, society has demonstrated its democratic resilience," Caliber.Az reports per Armenian media. 

At the same time, the report raises concerns over the annulment of voting results at three polling stations. According to the report, the annulments resulted in Gagik Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia party failing to secure parliamentary representation after falling below the 4% electoral threshold.

PACE also said the explanations provided by Armenia’s Central Electoral Commission regarding the annulments were insufficiently substantiated and noted that a significant number of voters were “left without representation” in parliament.

By Sabina Mammadli