Virtually all opposition contenders have rejected as fraudulent the official election results that gave victory to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. Only two of them, Strong Armenia and former President Robert Kocharian’s Hayastan alliance, will be represented in the 105-members National Assembly with 29 and 12 seats respectively.
Many of their supporters want them to spurn those seats in order to undermine the parliament’s legitimacy. The leaders of both blocs seem to be leaning against the boycott.
Karapetian told journalists that he and his entourage will make the decision by the end of July. He said they are now waiting for the Constitutional Court’s ruling on separate appeals against the election results filed by Strong Armenia and six other opposition groups. They want a rerun of the polls because of what they call widespread irregularities.
Karapetian’s bloc has also suggested that the court alternatively order a run-off vote between it and Civil Contract. Virtually all of the judges considering the opposition appeals have been installed by the ruling party. The latter denies rigging the elections and claims that its main opposition challengers themselves garnered most of their votes through bribes.
Earlier this month, Karapetian proposed that the country’s leading opposition forces set up a “coordinating council” that would discuss and take joint actions against the Armenian government. Kocharian was quick to welcome the idea. But other opposition leaders have been cautious about it so far.
The Russian-Armenian tycoon said he is continuing to negotiate with Hayastan and other opposition groups. He said he expects to meet with their top leaders after the Constitutional Court ruling which will be announced before July 5.