Expert slams parliament polls as “major financial operation”

PanARMENIAN.Net - An expert in political and electoral technologies Armen Badalyan slammed May 6 parliamentary polls in Armenia as a “major financial operation,” noting that the elections failed to justify society’s expectations.

At news conference in Yerevan, the expert noted electoral bribe, falsified votes, opposition’s flawed election campaign as the main factors affecting the results of polls.

The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) won a decisive victory at the parliamentary elections on May 6 gaining 44,02% of votes.

The coalition Prosperous Armenia party comes second with 30,12% of votes and the opposition ANC is placed third with 7,08%. The opposition parties Heritage (5,76%) and ARF Dashnaktsutyun (5,67%), as well as the third coalition Orinats Yerkir party (5,51%) also joined the new parliament.

RPA gained absolute majority of 69 seats in the 131-member National Assembly, 40 by proportional and 29 by majority system of voting.

Prosperous Armenia got 37 seats (28 by proportional and 9 by majority systems) and ANC was left with 7.

Dashnaktsutyun and Orinats Yerkir got 6 seats each (5 by proportional and 1 by majority systems), while Heritage got 5.