RIA Novosti, Russia
May 12 2007

Armenia electing its fourth parliament
11:32 | 12/ 05/ 2007

YEREVAN, May 12 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia is electing its fourth
parliament Saturday, with 22 parties and one election bloc running
for the 131-seat legislature in the South Caucasus nation.

More than 2 million are expected to cast their votes in the country,
which will face presidential elections next spring. About 53 local
organizations and six international missions are monitoring the
polls.

In the runup to the elections, thousands of opposition supporters
gathered in the streets of Yerevan, the capital, Thursday to protest
against the rule of President Robert Kocharyan and demand his
resignation. The opposition also vowed to resume protests Sunday if
the elections turned out to be fraudulent.

The favorite of the race is the Republican Party of Prime Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan, which is running together with Prosperous Armenia
and Dashnatsutyun.