Armenians vote in snap parliamentary elections

Yerevan, Jun 20 (EFE).- Polling stations on Sunday opened their doors in Armenia in early parliamentary elections, which seek to put an end to the country’s political crisis.

The second snap vote in less than three years comes seven months after Armenia fought and lost a 44-day war with neighboring Azerbaijan over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

The elections were called by acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan following months of opposition protests demanding his resignation.

Nearly 2.5 million Armenians are eligible to cast their ballots in some 2,000 voting booths, open for 12 hours across the country.

The Central Electoral Commission of Armenia is expected to announce the first election results before 20.00 GMT.

According to the latest polls, former president Robert Kocharian’s Armenia Alliance would win with 24.1% of the vote, while Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party is in second place with 23.8%

In total, 25 parties and political blocs are running for the 101-seat legislature.

aj/smq/lv