MAY 8, 2012 – The ruling Republican Party have consolidated their grip on Armenia’s parliament with a heavy victory in an election on Sunday.
Results out on Tuesday showed that the party of President Serzh Sargsyan won 44 percent of the seats contested through a party list system in the legislature, up from 34 percent in 2007. The Republican Party also won another 21 individually contested seats, giving it an overall majority and strengthening Mr Sargsyan’s position ahead of a presidential election next year.
The main opposition bloc, headed by former president Lev Ter-Petrosyan, won just enough votes to cross the 7 percent threshold needed to win representation in parliament.
Although there were instances of ballot-box stuffing, European vote monitors generally said the election had been peaceful, free and fair.
ENDS