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Ruling party leads Armenia vote Ruling bloc wins Armenia election
(about 8 hours later)
The ruling Republican Party and other pro-government parties are set to win Armenia's parliamentary election, amid allegations of fraud by the opposition. Pro-government parties in Armenia have won the largest share of the vote in the country's parliamentary elections, according to preliminary results.
Results from two-thirds of polling stations showed Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan's party was well ahead with 288,431 votes, election officials said. The ruling Republican Party of Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan won almost 33% of the vote, officials said.
European observers said the vote largely met international standards, but that some more work was needed.
Opposition groups said Saturday's vote was falsified and have called for mass demonstrations in the capital, Yerevan.Opposition groups said Saturday's vote was falsified and have called for mass demonstrations in the capital, Yerevan.
Armenian officials have insisted the election was calm, positive and lawful.Armenian officials have insisted the election was calm, positive and lawful.
This is Armenia's fourth election since it gained independence in 1991. This was Armenia's fourth election since it gained independence in 1991, but the last, in 2003, was judged not to have met democratic standards.
Foreign monitors said the last poll, in 2003, did not meet democratic standards. More than $200m of US development aid and the prospect of closer links with the European Union was at risk if the polls were condemned as unfair.
Ahead of the vote, Western countries warned of serious consequences if Armenia did not improve this record. Protest call
More than $200m of US development aid and the prospect of closer links with the European Union could be at risk if the polls are condemned as unfair. Preliminary results released on Sunday by electoral authorities showed the Republican Party had won more than 32.8% of the vote.
'Grossly falsified' Prosperous Armenia, a comparatively new political party led by former world arm wrestling champion Gagik Tsarukian, won 14.7%.
Armenia's Central Electoral Commission announced on Sunday turnout had been almost 60%, higher than in the country's last election. These Armenian elections were an improvement over previous elections and were conducted largely in accordance with international standards OSCE spokesman Only two opposition parties, the Rule of Law Party and Heritage, passed the threshold needed to get seats in parliament.
This has been one of the worst elections possible Law-Governed Country Party spokesman Turnout was almost 60%, officials said earlier in the day.
Preliminary results from 1,274 out of 1,923 polling stations showed Mr Sarksyan's Republican Party was in the lead. The BBC's Matthew Collin, in Yerevan, said the results were a resounding victory for pro-government forces.
The pro-government Prosperous Armenia Party was second with 129,683 votes, followed by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, a former member of the ruling coalition, with 115,410. A spokesman for the Law-Governed Country Party, Tigran Mkrtchyan, said the results were "grossly falsified".
Opposition groups were far behind, with the Law-Governed Country Party of former parliamentary speaker Artur Baghdasaryan winning 53,599 votes and the Heritage Party gaining 31,678. But a report observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe praised the conduct of the vote.
A spokesman for the Law-Governed Country Party said the results reflected the widespread electoral fraud his party had witnessed. "The election campaign was dynamic with extensive media coverage. Election day was calm, with no major incidents reported, but a few cases of fraud schemes were observed," the OSCE said.
"I fear these elections were grossly falsified," Tigran Mkrtchyan told the AFP news agency. "These Armenian elections were an improvement over previous elections and were conducted largely in accordance with international standards," the report added.
"This has been one of the worst elections possible." The chairman of Armenia's electoral commission also denied allegations of widespread fraud.
"Some pro-government parties were giving bribes of between 4,000 and 20,000 drams ($11-56) right in front of polling stations." But Mr Mkrtchyan accused pro-government parties of handing out bribes at polling stations, and said the opposition would organise mass demonstrations in Yerevan on Sunday to attempt to overturn the results.
Mr Mkrtchyan said the opposition would organise mass demonstrations in Yerevan on Sunday to attempt to overturn the results.
Large protests after the country's last disputed election were broken up by police and the authorities have already warned they will not tolerate unrest.Large protests after the country's last disputed election were broken up by police and the authorities have already warned they will not tolerate unrest.
The chairman of the electoral commission, Garegin Azaryan, denied the allegations of fraud.
"We can say that we had a positive election," Mr Azaryan said.
"The election was held in a calm atmosphere and in compliance with the law."
International observers, including the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, will issue a report on the election later on Sunday.