'Democratic backsliding': Armenia's 'extreme polarisation, hate speech, stigmatization' mar election

Armenia's recent election is marked by 'extreme polarisation, hate speech, stigmatization,' with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's victory signaling openness to the European Union but requiring careful management of dependence on Russia. The election addressed broader issues like security, economic vulnerability, and the legacy of conflict, as Armenia navigates transitions between war and peace, and polarization and democratic consolidation.