President Serzh Sargsyan's Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) retained an absolute majority in the 105-member National Assembly. The HHK won nearly twice more seats than its main rival, the Tsarukyan bloc, led by a wealthy businessman Gagik Tsarukyan. Both parties support close ties with Russia. Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan, who succeeded Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan in September 2016, led the HHK campaign, promising to continue the Government’s ongoing reforms. The Tsarukyan bloc promised to boost public-sector salaries and pensions.

The 2017 elections were the first to be held after the constitutional amendments, adopted in a referendum in December 2015. The parliamentary system (with a ceremonial President to be elected by parliament), instead of the current semi-presidential system, will become operational after the incumbent President’s term expires in 2018. The statutory number of members in the National Assembly has decreased from 131 to 101. The new electoral law foresees up to four seats for minority representatives (Yezidis, Russians, Assyrians and Kurds). The new electoral law foresees an additional four seats for minority representatives (Yezidis, Russians, Assyrians and Kurds). In accordance with the new electoral code, which came into force in July 2016, the 2017 elections were held under the proportional representation system (instead of the mixed system). The new electoral system provides for a possible second round of voting so as to achieve a “stable parliamentary majority” (54 per cent of the total seats). At least 30 per cent of the candidates in the first part of the national list (excluding the section reserved for minorities) must be women.