23 Parties, 4 Blocs Apply to Run in Snap Parliamentary Elections

YEREVAN — Twenty-three political parties and four alliances have applied to run in Armenia’s upcoming snap parliamentary elections.

They all submitted the lists of their election candidates and other registration documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC) by Wednesday’s legal deadline for such applications.

The CEC has five days to process the applications. It has rarely barred candidates from participating in elections in the past.

Political forces will be vying for at least 101 seats in Armenia’s new parliament that will be elected on June 20 under the system of proportional representation.

Under Armenian law, the parties need to win at least 5 percent of the vote in order to be represented in the National Assembly. The vote threshold for blocs is set at 7 percent.

Only three groups — the ruling My Step bloc and the opposition Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and Bright Armenia (LHK) parties — cleared these thresholds in the last general elections held in December 2018. My Step, which mostly comprises members of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party, won 70 percent of the vote at the time.

4 Alliances:
“Armenia” Alliance
“Free Homeland” Alliance
“I have the Honor” Alliance
Shirinyan-Babajanyan Alliance of Democrats

27 Parties:
Civil Contract Party
Fair Armenia Party
Republic Party
Pan-Armenian National Statehood Party
Prosperous Armenia Party
Armenian Homeland Party
National Agenda Party
Christian-Democratic Party
European Party of Armenia
Citizen’s Decision Social Democratic Party
Our Home is Armenia Party
National-Democratic Pole Party
United Homeland Party
5165 National Conservative Movement Party
Bright Armenia Party
Rise (Verelq) Party
Freedom Party
Liberal Party
Armenian National Congress Party
Sovereign Armenia Party
Awakening National Christian Party
Democratic Party of Armenia
Armenian Eagles United Armenia Party