The PACE report on the results of the parliamentary elections in Armenia recorded a number of violations by the Civil Contract party.

ArmInfo. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) report on the results of the June 7, 2026, parliamentary elections in Armenia documented a number of violations by the Civil Contract party.

According to the published report, widespread public polarization and mass protests during the elections created a tense domestic political situation in the country. Additional factors contributing to the polarization, according to the source, were unusually tense relations between the government and the leadership of the Armenian Apostolic Church, as well as criminal prosecutions, including pretrial detention, of several prominent opposition members and religious figures.

"After the elections were scheduled for January and April 2026, significant changes were made that contradicted the recommendations of the Venice Commission regarding the stability of the electoral legislation." These included further changes to observer accreditation rules and a last-minute ban on the use of proper names in the names of electoral blocs on ballots. Only limited opportunities for public consultation were provided regarding these sensitive and far-reaching changes," the report notes.

The PACE delegation further noted significant remaining gaps. In particular, the election campaign was characterized by sharp polarization, aggressive rhetoric, and repeated accusations of violations. "Many candidates reported direct threats against themselves or their supporters from both state bodies and foreign actors." "Public servants reported being required or expected to participate in Civil Contract party rallies, while observers also recorded several cases of pressure from business leaders on employees to participate in opposition rallies," the PACE report notes.

It is also noted that recent years have seen an increased use of law enforcement mechanisms against opposition candidates and activists, with a large number of criminal cases initiated for vote-buying, almost all of which involved the opposition or business representatives associated with the opposition. However, at the time of writing, there were virtually no convictions in such cases. "This raises questions about the selective nature of law enforcement and due process," the report states.

Regarding the policies of Public Television and several key private broadcasters, the report notes that they demonstrated a clear bias in favor of the ruling party and negative coverage of leading opposition parties, while other media outlets consistently provided critical coverage of the government. "Much of the television coverage of the election campaign was used to amplify mutual insults, while attention to candidate platforms and public political debate remained limited," the report notes.

The report also noted restrictions imposed by the Russian side. In particular, it notes that Russia used economic sanctions and harsh diplomatic rhetoric in an attempt to influence the outcome of the election in favor of parties aligned with the opposition or opposed to the government. It is noteworthy that, according to the report, election day proceeded in an orderly and calm manner, and the voting process at the overwhelming majority of polling stations was assessed positively. However, the report also notes that violations were recorded at approximately 44% of the polling stations monitored.

It is further noted that the key post-election controversy centered on the Central Election Commission's decision to annul the results of polling stations 10/51, 35/65, and 12/13. "According to some calculations, had the turnout data at these stations been taken into account, the Prosperous Armenia party could have overcome the 4% electoral threshold, gained parliamentary mandates, and deprived the ruling party of a three-fifths majority. The Central Election Commission, in its justification, ruled that "the annulment of the results at these stations did not affect the overall outcome" and refused to schedule a rerun. "This justification is clearly insufficient to support this decision, especially given the significance of its consequences," the PACE report notes.

Despite the fact that the report lists numerous violations committed during the parliamentary elections in Armenia, including the use of divisive rhetoric, accusations of vote-buying, and other instances of non-compliance with electoral law, it presents the election results as evidence of the Armenian people's choice of a pro-European path. "Despite the identified shortcomings and unprecedented external pressure, society demonstrated the resilience of its democratic institutions." "Thus, the newly elected authorities have received a clear mandate from the people, which they must now live up to," the report notes.

The full text of the report can be found at the following link: https://pace.coe.int/en/files/36276/html.

It should be noted that PAP press secretary Iveta Tonoyan, reacting to the published report, earlier noted that its mention of the process of depriving their party of the opportunity to enter parliament demonstrates that the truth cannot be falsified.