Armenia prime minister Nikol Pashinyan has won a third term with a narrow majority that confirms the nations continued shift toward the EU.

Despite mutual claims of vote buying and legitimacy challenges from leading rivals Pashinyans Civil Contract party captured 49.8 percent of ballots while the chief opposition group Strong Armenia took roughly one quarter.

After rising through the 2018 Velvet Revolution the prime minister hailed a historic success for his party on Sunday 7 June even before one fifth of ballots were tallied.

EU Commission president Ursula Von der Leyen praised the outcome on social media noting that the spirit of the 2018 revolution remains vibrant and that Brussels values its partnership with a democratic Armenia moving closer to Europe.

EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos stated that the result despite extensive Russian coercion and meddling confirms Armenians preference for a sovereign and independent state and announced plans to visit the country shortly.

European Council president Antonio Costa observed that voters chose a future rooted in peace stability and deeper ties with neighbors and global partners.

Brussels had watched closely after reports emerged of Russian linked actors spreading false claims about the prime minister and funding travel for thousands of Russian Armenians to cast ballots.

The Romanian foreign ministry noted that Armenia faced intense foreign information campaigns a challenge now common in many elections and that protecting democratic institutions matters beyond national borders.

Latvian president Edgars Rinkevics added that Armenia selected its democratic route in spite of threats and pressure.

To address interference risks Brussels sent a Hybrid Rapid Response Team to Armenia in April and has committed 270 million euros through a Resilience and Growth Plan covering 2024 to 2027.

Armenia now serves as a key Western partner in the traditionally Russia oriented South Caucasus having announced plans to seek EU membership and to develop a trade corridor along its southern border known as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.

The peace candidate still requires constitutional changes

Pashinyan campaigned on delivering regional peace backed by a draft treaty that would end Armenian claims to Nagorno Karabakh the territory seized by Azerbaijan in 2020 and 2023.

Although Civil Contract holds a parliamentary majority further progress on the peace deal needs wider support.

Constitutional changes to drop formal claims on Nagorno Karabakh require a two thirds parliamentary majority.

Narek Sukiasyan a foreign policy lecturer at the American University of Armenia told EUobserver that the new assembly will be more competitive yet equally polarized.

He expects the EU to become the primary partner against hybrid threats while noting that additional Russia aligned parties in parliament could give Moscow greater leverage over Yerevan.

Despite support for Ukraine and hosting the first EU Armenia summit in May Pashinyans government will retain membership in the Russia led Eurasian Economic Union viewed as economically essential for the small import dependent country.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky congratulated the party on social media and expressed readiness to broaden cooperation as an investment in regional peace and prosperity.