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The election was called by the incumbent prime minister after protests over the country’s defeat in the war with Azerbaijan last year.
Armenian polls opened on Sunday for parliamentary elections called by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, raising anger after the country’s defeat in the war against the enemy Azerbaijan.
Pashinyan, who lost his appeal since last year’s military defeat, hopes to renew his mandate but is in a tight race with former president Robert Kocharyan.
His critics accuse him of handing over parts of the territory to Azerbaijan during his escape from the Nagorno-Karabakh region in a truce agreement that ended last year’s fighting and failed to comply with reform orders.
In an aggressive campaign sparked by polarizing rhetoric, Pashinyan said his Civil Contract party hoped to get 60% of the vote, although some pollsters said those estimates were too low.
The election of about three million people in the South Caucasus will also see the masters of the Soviet-era Armenia and Turkey, who sided with Azerbaijan last year in a six-week war against Nagorno-Karabakh.
Political observers say the election result is difficult to predict because voter apathy is so high and Pashinyan and Kocharyan are attracting a large crowd in the final days of the race.
In a poisonous campaign the candidates exchanged insults and threats and both pioneers will hold demonstrations after the elections.
Pashinyan, 46, sold a hammer at rallies, while Kocharyan, 66, said he would be willing to fight a duel with the prime minister and plan to hold a vote.
Al Jazeera’s Rory Challands reported in Yerevan that people hope that “these two-year-old election will give the winner popular legitimacy and give him five years … to start fighting in them.” [the country’s] issues “.
However, according to Challands, morale is low.
“We’ve talked to people who have said that none of the politicians they offer are particularly attractive, and like the rest of the country, they are still in the trauma of losses,” Challands added.
‘Time for change’
Armenian President Sarkissian, a largely ceremonial figure, denounced attempts to “encourage hatred and hostility” and called for law enforcement to prevent violations.
“These elections are being held in a difficult situation,” he said on Saturday. “They are of fundamental importance to our state and the people.”
Pashinyan says Moscow should agree on a negotiated truce with Azerbaijan to prevent further human and territorial losses.
More than 6,500 people were killed in the war, according to the latest estimates from Armenia and Azerbaijan.
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