Armenian voters headed to polling stations on June 7 as the country launched its parliamentary elections, with nearly 2.5 million citizens eligible to cast their ballots in a closely watched vote.

Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. (GMT+4) and will remain open until 8:00 p.m., after which election commissions will begin counting votes. According to Armenia’s Migration and Citizenship Service, 2,489,031 citizens are eligible to participate in the election, with 2,005 polling stations operating nationwide, The Caspian Post reports via BBC.

The election is drawing significant attention both inside and outside the country. Representatives from 71 media outlets are covering the vote, while 13 domestic and eight international observer missions are monitoring the electoral process.

A total of 16 political parties and two electoral alliances are competing for seats in parliament. Among the key contenders are the Armenia Alliance, Strong Armenia Alliance, Civil Contract Party, Prosperous Armenia Party, Enlightened Armenia Party, Armenian National Congress, Republic Party, Christian-Democratic Party, and several other political movements.

To secure representation in parliament, political parties must surpass a 4% electoral threshold, while alliances are required to obtain at least 8% of the vote.