None of the political forces competing in yesterday’s Gyumri council snap elections managed to form a majority, so they cannot elect a mayor without forming a coalition․

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party won 36.8 percent of the vote, falling short of an absolute majority in the council.

The opposition My Powerful Community party and the Mother Armenia alliance, have decided to unite, supporting the opposition candidate for mayor Vardan Ghukasyan who came in second with 20.7 percent.

Ghukasyan served as mayor of Gyumri, Armenia’s second largest city, from 1999 to 2012.

Coming in third was the Our City bloc of Martun Grigorian, an opposition Armenian parliament MP, which garnered 15.9 percent. Two other opposition groups led by TV producer Ruben Mkhitarian and businessman Karen Simonian will also be represented in the new city council, having polled 7.9 percent and 6.2 percent respectively. 

Six parties and three blocs participated in the election.