Opposition lawyer claims ruling party lacks legitimate election victory, questions top court's impartiality

Opposition lawyer Aram Vardevanyan on Friday argued that Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party cannot legitimately claim victory in the June 7 parliamentary elections, while casting doubt on the independence and impartiality of the Constitutional Court ahead of hearings on challenges to the official election results.

Vardevanyan, a member of the Strong Armenia alliance, made the remarks before the Constitutional Court convened to examine petitions filed by seven political groups seeking the annulment of the election results.

"The Constitutional Court strongly lacks independence, neutrality and impartiality. That is an indisputable fact," Vardevanyan told reporters.

Rejecting the ruling party's assertion that it had won the election, Vardevanyan argued that Civil Contract secured re-election only because votes cast for smaller parties were effectively dispersed.

"If their understanding of modern European democratic standards is that forming a government through the fragmentation of votes, as reflected in the Central Electoral Commission's official protocol, constitutes an electoral victory, then they are entitled to that opinion," he said.

Vardevanyan contended that the Constitutional Court's primary responsibility is to acknowledge widespread and systematic electoral violations that, he argued, unfolded openly throughout the campaign and voting process.

He further alleged that both the Central Electoral Commission and the Constitutional Court face serious questions regarding their institutional independence.

Vardevanyan also said the opposition has objections to the participation of at least two Constitutional Court judges and intends to present those concerns during the proceedings.

Under procedural decisions issued by the Constitutional Court, judges Artak Zeynalyan and Vladimir Vardanyan will not participate in the election dispute hearings. Opposition parties had also sought the recusal of justice Seda Safaryan, but the court declined that request.