Armenian opposition leader urges voters to ignore 'propaganda' polls

Opposition leader Edmon Marukyan on Monday dismissed recent polling as “propaganda” designed to discourage voter participation ahead of Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary elections.

Campaigning in Yerevan’s Malatia-Sebastia district, Marukyan, the prime ministerial candidate of the Bright Armenia Party, criticized a survey published by Euronews that showed the ruling Civil Contract party winning with 65 percent support. He said the poll, conducted by the Armenian sociological firm MI, was intended to convince citizens that the outcome was already decided.

“This is propaganda aimed at spreading hopelessness, making people believe the authorities have already won so they won’t go to the polls,” Marukyan told supporters. “Do not believe any surveys before the elections. Just go to the polling station.”

Marukyan urged voters to ensure a diverse parliament that could form a “compromise government” with a consensus prime minister, arguing that such a scenario would prevent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's re-election.