Legislative in Armenia: beginning of the ballot and the duel between Pachinian and Kotcharian

The polling stations are now open.

In Yerevan, voters have the choice between 25 lists, but the ballot boils down to a duel between two men who oppose everything: the outgoing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and the former president, Robert Kotcharian.

AFP - KAREN MINASYAN

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Who to lead the next government in Armenia?

A little more than 2 million voters are called to renew their Parliament, this Sunday, June 20.

An early legislative poll, called by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, after Armenia's military defeat to Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh seven months ago.

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From our special correspondent in Yerevan

,

 Anastasia Becchio

The polling stations have been open for a few hours now.

In front of one of them, in the center of the Armenian capital, voters have the choice between 25 lists, but the ballot boils down to a duel.

A duel between two men who oppose everything: the outgoing Prime Minister and the former president, Robert Kotcharian, imprisoned several times under the mandate of

Nikol Pachinian

, but acquitted in early April.

On a table in the hall of school n ° 29, twenty-five stacks of ballot papers are available to voters, who march slowly, at the start of the already very hot day.

Robert Kotcharian, the man of the old guard

Stepan, a young man who has lived and worked in London for a few years, came to vote for

Robert Kotcharian's

Alliance Armenia

, the only one able, according to him, to restore the country and ensure its security, after the lost war against Azerbaijan.

Although associated with the old corrupt system, the former president, hated by part of the population, displayed himself as a serious and experienced politician, facing a Prime Minister often accused of populism and incompetence.

Nikol Pachinian losing popularity

This is also what Karen Petrossian criticizes the Prime Minister.

This teacher who had supported the velvet revolution in 2018, says he is disappointed by the turn of events.

I expected more, even if I understand that he is not a magician, 

" he explains, before confiding that he still voted for the Civil Contract of Nikol Pachinian.

A lesser evil, according to him, to avoid the return of the old guard.

In the absence of reliable polls, the outcome of the ballot looks uncertain, after a particularly tense campaign.

President Armen Sarkissian recently denounced the flood of hatred that was pouring out and called on Armenians to vote fairly and freely.

To read: Early legislative elections: polarized Armenia chooses its future

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