Activist: Armenia's ruling party stopped at nothing to secure Gyumri election win

Avetik Chalabyan, coordinator of the Hayakve initiative who was part of an election observation mission in Gyumri and Parakar, shared his insights on Sunday’s municipal elections.

“After a long and sleepless night, I am returning to Yerevan from Gyumri and want to share some key observations:

1. The ruling Civil Contract party leveraged extensive resources to secure victory in the Gyumri elections, resorting to all possible means. I witnessed numerous election violations, reminiscent of past corrupt practices. This likely explains how a party that secured 7,800 votes in 2021 managed to nearly double its tally to 17,000.
2. Nevertheless, the opposition effectively countered the ruling party, collectively garnering around 27,000 votes and securing a decisive win. The presence of multiple opposition leaders, rather than a single figure, proved advantageous, mobilizing diverse voter groups and complicating the authorities’ smear campaigns.
3. The ruling party took repressive actions throughout the election campaign, continuing its smear tactics even during the silence period. On the election day, multiple violations were recorded. Yet, despite its financial, administrative and media resources, the ruling team failed to snatch a victory. The myth of the ruling power’s invincibility has been shattered.
4. A key factor in this shift has been the rise of active civil society. The Hayakve observers, along with journalists, election officials and other monitoring organizations, played a vital role in ensuring a competitive electoral process. Though far from perfect, without their efforts, the integrity of the elections would have been far worse,” he wrote on Facebook.

“Many are closely following post-election developments, concerned that the opposition’s hard-won victory may once again be at risk. I will address that separately. For now, I extend my congratulations to the people of Gyumri on their difficult yet decisive choice and express my gratitude to all those I had the privilege of working with during this pivotal moment,” the activist added.