Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, accompanied by his daughter, today cast his ballot in the Yerevan Municipal Council election at the 8/16 polling station.

Responding to reporters on the scene, Pashinyan said today’s election differs from past elections because citizens are now certain that their votes make a difference and will be duly registered.

As to the campaigning before today’s election, in which four political parties and eight blocs are slugging it out for municipal council seats,  Pashinyan said it’s normal for passions to flare during political campaigns in democratic countries.

“I believe that from now on, passions will flare in Armenia as well, because there will be real elections,” Pashinyan said.

Elections to the 65-seat city council are on a party-list proportional representation system, with the first candidate from the winning party becoming mayor.