Opposition candidate rejects official vote tally, calls for public mobilization

Arsen Vardanyan, chairman of the Pan-Armenian Front party and a candidate on the electoral list of the Democracy, Law and Discipline (DOK) Party, has launched a protest campaign in Yerevan's Liberty Square, alleging that votes cast for his political alliance were improperly excluded from the final tally of Armenia's June 7 parliamentary elections.

According to the Central Electoral Commission (CEC), the DOK Party received 25,758 votes, or 1.76% of ballots cast. Vardanyan rejects the figures, contending that his party's support was substantially understated.

"Our votes were stolen by the authorities," Vardanyan told Panorama.am at the protest site, pointing to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's public declaration of victory before the CEC had formally announced the election results.

Vardanyan argued that discrepancies between his party's precinct-level records and the official tally suggest irregularities in the counting process. He said party representatives identified what they believe were missing votes at several polling stations and alleged that a broader review of all precincts would reveal significantly larger discrepancies.

"We compared the figures from polling stations where we had access to the records and found inconsistencies," he said. "Yet, according to the official count, our final total was reduced rather than increased."

Beyond the vote count itself, Vardanyan accused the government of leveraging state resources and policy decisions to influence voters during the campaign period. He cited pension increases announced ahead of the elections and criticized subsequent tax measures that he said would contribute to rising consumer prices.

Government officials have argued that recent excise tax increases primarily affect fuel, alcohol and tobacco products. Vardanyan, however, maintained that higher transportation costs would inevitably lead to broader inflation, affecting the price of essential goods.

The opposition politician also alleged that public resources were used disproportionately during the campaign. He claimed that extensive police deployments, road closures and state vehicles accompanied Pashinyan's campaign appearances, while opposition candidates lacked comparable access and logistical support.

In addition, Vardanyan criticized Armenia's media environment, arguing that a substantial portion of the country's media outlets operate under government influence, limiting opportunities for opposition voices to reach voters.

Under the slogan, "Your Vote Was Stolen. Join the Struggle," Vardanyan and his supporters have begun collecting signatures from citizens who dispute the election outcome. He said the campaign aims to demonstrate public dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the vote and to provide a measurable indication of opposition sentiment.

The signature drive began on June 11 in Liberty Square and has attracted participants from various regions of the country. As of June 18, more than 2,000 people had signed the petition, Vardanyan added.