Armenia is holding parliamentary elections this Sunday in what is being described as a historic moment for the country. Incumbent Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the governing Civil Contract party are seeking re-election as the nation weighs critical questions of war and peace, autocracy and democracy, and subjugation and independence.
The elections serve as a vote on Armenia's geopolitical future. Prime Minister Pashinyan is seeking closer ties with the European Union and the United States, marking a potential break from longstanding relations with Russia that are favored by his critics. As the South Caucasus nation seeks deeper ties with the West, it has become the target of pro-Kremlin interference.
Regional stability is also a central issue, as Pashinyan seeks to normalize relations with Turkey and neighboring Azerbaijan. While the administration has reached a tenuous peace with Azerbaijan, a longtime rival, the move remains highly controversial.
In the capital, thousands of people have gathered to decry the government's path, which some protesters have called traitorous. Waving flags, demonstrators warned that a vote to re-elect the current government would mean living in the country with Azerbaijanis.