In a public statement issued today regarding the May 6 parliamentary election, the ARF has declared that the results “sadly did not reflect the will of the people or the true correlation of the political forces.”

The ARF argues that the members of the ruling coalition were able to garner such large vote results “due to the complete utilization state and administrative levers and unprecedented amounts of financial resources that were channelled into election bribes.”

The party, which garnered around 5.6% at the polls, just surpassing the 5% threshold in order to gain seats in the new parliament, says that election bribes had a decisive impact on the election results.

“This reality proves that an absolute majority of Armenian society, left to a difficult social situation, essentially defenceless and alienated from the state, did not perform a free and informed election,” the statement reads.

The ARF goes on to say that the people’s non-politicization, poverty and suffering were exploited, through bribery and pressure in order for a return to power of the current authorities.

“This means that the political forces, including the ARF, have not yet been able to instil our people with the concepts of a free citizen and a dignified voter,” reads the statement.

In conclusion, the ARF says its poor showing at the polls will set the stage for a new phase of activities in which the general struggle will continue until total regime change.