European observers describe Yerevan elections as satisfactory

YEREVAN, May 6. /ARKA/. Election observers from the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe described the May 5 elections to the Council of Elders of the Armenian capital as satisfactory.

Stuart Dixon (UK), head of the Council of Europe poll watchers delegation, said observers recorded a few incidents in polling stations they had visited, in particular, attempts of repeat vote and election "carousel".  “Overall, the elections were held peacefully and well-organized, " he said.

The 12-member delegation of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe representing 9 countries visited nearly 100 polling stations in 13 constituencies. It was the only international organization that had arrived in Yerevan to monitor the elections.

Mr. Stuart called on the Armenian authorities to continue improving the electoral legislation, emphasizing that in addition to having a good legislation it is important that it be implemented effectively. "Democracy and good elections keep step with one another", he said.

The final conclusion of the elections to the Yerevan Council of Elders will be given in October in Strasbourg, he said.

The ruling Republican Party of Armenia has swept a landslide victory in the Sunday elections, giving its top candidate Taron Margaryan another four-year term as mayor.

According to the preliminary data, released today by the Central Election Commission, president Serzh Sargsyan’s party has won the polls with 55.89 percent (235,512) of the vote. 

The Prosperous Armenia Party received 23.07 percent of the vote (97,189) and the opposition bloc, Hello Yerevan, led by Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian, finished a distant third with 8.48 percent (35,732) of the vote.

The opposition Armenian National Congress party garnered d 4.39 percent (18,499) of the vote, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) – 3.8 percent (15,999), Orinats Yerkir - 3.73 percent (15,733) and the Arakelutyun (Mission)  party – 0.64 percent (2,69

The Council of Elders is composed of 65 people, who are elected by proportional system (by party lists). If a party or a bloc gains more than 50% of the vote, the first number of the party list automatically becomes mayor of Yerevan. Otherwise, the mayor is to be elected by the Council of Elders. The right to nominate candidates for mayor belongs to the factions within the Council of Elders. The electoral threshold for parties is 6%, for party blocs is 8%. -0-