Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says he has secured a historic victory after Armenia’s parliamentary election, in which his Civil Contract party won 49 percent of the vote. The result gives Pashinyan a strong mandate after Sunday’s ballot.

The pro-Russian opposition party Strong Armenia, led by billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, received 23 percent, Iltalehti reported. The outcome underlines how Armenia’s political debate remains tied to the country’s future orientation between Russia and the European Union.