"Fair Voice": Elections in Armenia marked by extensive use of  administrative resources

ArmInfo.  The electoral process during the June 7 parliamentary elections was marked by numerous and varied violations and troubling phenomena related to the fundamental  principles of electoral law. This is stated in the final report of  the "Fair Voice" observation mission of the Federation of Youth Clubs  regarding the parliamentary elections held in the country on June 7,  2026.

The observation mission particularly notes the extensive use of  administrative resources, the violation of the boundaries of state  and political activity, the involvement of state and municipal  employees in political processes, the politicization of educational  institutions, pressure and incitement of voters, numerous reports of  vote-buying, and the spread of political hatred and threats.

According to the mission's assessment, a significant portion of the  problems recorded were not isolated but systemic and recurring.  "Their prevalence and diversity indicate that assessing the  legitimacy of the electoral process cannot be limited to examining  individual incidents, but requires a comprehensive analysis taking  into account their cumulative impact on the equality of political  competition, the freedom of expression of voters, and public trust in  the electoral process," states the report, received by ArmInfo.

It adds that during the pre-election period, the mission recorded  hundreds of reports of violations, including 154 cases of illegal  campaigning, 114 cases of misuse of administrative resources, 47  cases of incitement to hatred, 27 cases of pressure from authorities  or local governments, 26 reports of vote-buying, as well as pressure  on voters, unequal conditions for political competition, and  violations of observer rights.

The mission's report notes that many of the recorded cases involved  the involvement of government officials in campaigning, the  politicization of state and educational institutions, and attempts to  influence and control voters. It is also noted that on election day,  the "Fair Voice" observation mission received over 500 reports and  warnings. Of these, 128 concerned violations recorded during the  voting process, 38 incidents at polling stations, 36 technical and  organizational issues, 34 illegal campaigning, 28 violations in the  work of election commissions, and 20 cases of pressure and  intimidation of voters.

The report focuses on violations of voting secrecy, instances of  voter instruction, crowds near polling stations, shortcomings in the  work of election commissions, and instances of obstruction of  observers. The mission also documented problems with the  effectiveness of election administration and oversight mechanisms,  which, according to the report, could negatively impact public  confidence in the election results.

One of the report's key findings is that the cumulative number of  violations recorded could have had a significant impact on the final  election results, including the distribution of parliamentary seats.  The observation mission also highlights the fact that approximately  60,000 citizens encountered problems exercising their voting rights,  and that as a result of the annulment of results at three polling  stations, approximately 3,400 votes were excluded from the final  results.

The election observation mission also confirms that restoring public  confidence in democratic elections is only possible with a full,  independent, and impartial legal assessment of all documented  violations. To this end, the mission considers it important to apply  all judicial and constitutional review mechanisms provided for by the  Constitution and legislation of the Republic of Armenia to the  electoral process.

The published summary report contains documented facts, their legal  assessment, statistics on electoral violations, and recommendations  aimed at improving the electoral system. It can serve as an important  document for further improving electoral processes and strengthening  democratic institutions.

The "Fair Voice" Observation Mission of the Federation of Youth Clubs  notes that it has published its final report on the 2026 National  Assembly elections of the Republic of Armenia, which took place on  June 7, 2026, based on observations by long-term and short-term  observers, citizen notifications, and factual data collected and  analyzed by the mission.

The observation mission was attended by 368 observers accredited by  the Central Electoral Commission of Armenia, including 40 long-term  and over 300 short-term observers. Observation was conducted  throughout the Republic of Armenia, covering all stages of the  electoral process: from the pre-election period to voting day, vote  counting, tabulation of results, and post-election events.