YEREVAN — As Armenia prepares for a snap parliamentary election on Sunday, the shadow of Moscow looms large over the polls. With Russia’s influence tightening and the United Kingdom reaffirming its support for democratic allies in the region, the contest has become a flashpoint for geopolitical tensions that strike at the heart of ordinary people’s lives.
The election, called by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan after months of protests and a bruising war with Azerbaijan, will test the resilience of Armenia’s fragile democracy. For families in Yerevan’s concrete housing blocks and villages in the impoverished northern regions, the outcome will determine whether promised economic reforms materialise or whether the country slips further under the Kremlin’s yoke.
“I have two children, and I just want them to have a future here,” said Anush, a 38-year-old teacher in the capital’s Arabkir district. “We don’t need foreign powers telling us how to live, but we need jobs and peace. That is what I vote for.” Her wages, like those of many in the public sector, have stagnated even as inflation pushes up the cost of bread and heating.
Russia, Armenia’s traditional ally, has grown impatient with Pashinyan’s overtures to the West. Moscow recently increased gas prices to Armenia, a move economists say could hike household bills by 15 per cent. Meanwhile, the Kremlin has backed opposition figures critical of the prime minister. The pressure is palpable: in a televised debate on Friday, pro-Russian candidates accused Pashinyan of “betraying the Russian-speaking people” and called for closer integration with the Eurasian Economic Union.
Britain has stepped in with a different message. The Foreign Office announced a £10 million aid package to support “democratic institutions and economic resilience” in Armenia. This includes funding for independent media, civil society, and technical assistance for election monitoring. For many in Britain, this may seem a distant affair, but the parallels are clear. When wages fail to keep pace with prices, and foreign powers pull the strings, the ballot box can feel like a farce.
“This is not just about Armenia, it is about the kind of world we want to live in,” said a Foreign Office spokesperson. “Democracies must stand together against coercion.” Critics however argue that Britain’s own record on regional inequality and wage stagnation undermines such rhetoric. The gap between London and the North East mirrors the divide between Yerevan and the regions here.
On the ground, the campaign has been dominated by bread-and-butter issues. Unemployment stands at 18 per cent, and a quarter of Armenians live below the poverty line. The war with Nagorno-Karabakh left thousands dead and displaced families struggling in cramped shelters. “Politicians talk about geopolitics, but I care about my rent,” said Karen, a 45-year-old builder who lost his job during the pandemic. “Whoever can fix that gets my vote.”
Pashinyan’s party has promised a “new economic deal” to boost wages and create jobs, but his popularity has waned since he signed a ceasefire agreement that ceded territory. His main rival, former President Robert Kocharyan, represents the old guard and is seen as closer to Moscow. But many voters are war-weary and sceptical. “They are all the same,” said a pensioner in Gyumri, the country’s second city. “They promise the earth and deliver nothing.”
If the election is free and fair, it will be a testament to civic endurance. But with Russian media outlets pumping out disinformation and British soft power offering a counterweight, the real test will begin after the votes are counted. Will Pashinyan deliver on his pledges, or will the new government fall into line with the Kremlin’s demands?
For now, Armenia’s workers wait. The bakery near the central market in Yerevan is busier than usual as voters buy bread for the long queues expected on Sunday. The price of a loaf has gone up by 10 drams this month. Every dram counts.
