On March 31, opposition forces secured a decisive victory over the ruling Civil Contract party in the extraordinary elections to the Council of Elders of the enlarged community of Parakar in the Armavir region. The opposition alliance "Unity" won 56.57% of the votes, while Civil Contract received only 31.89%.

Following the final count at all 16 polling stations, Vologda Gregorian, who headed the proportional list of the "Unity" alliance, automatically became the head of the Parakar community under existing legislation. The National Progress Party secured 7.82% of the votes, while the Stability Party finished last with 3.7%.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan congratulated the winners of the elections in Parakar and Gyumri via social media, stating, "A citizen of the Republic of Armenia has the opportunity to freely make a choice. The citizen's choice is law for us." He also called for a thorough investigation into any concerns regarding illegal influence on the voters’ will to prevent such occurrences in the future.

In Gyumri, the Civil Contract party also failed to secure a majority, as confirmed by Vahe Galumyan, an MP from the Civil Contract parliamentary faction. Speaking outside the party’s election headquarters, Galumyan stated that their candidate, Sarik Minasyan, who had served as acting head of the community for two months, received twice as many votes as former mayor Vardan Ghukasyan. However, when asked why Civil Contract failed to win an outright majority, Galumyan refrained from commenting, stating that the question should be directed at the voters. He also declined to discuss the party’s loss in Parakar, claiming he lacked information on the matter.

Former Armenian Ombudsman Arman Tatoyan commented on social media that the election results in Gyumri and Parakar reflected the Armenian people's true sentiment toward the country's leadership. He argued that these elections transcended local governance, becoming a broader struggle for Armenian statehood and national values. Tatoyan also criticized the ruling party’s pre-election rhetoric in Gyumri, particularly its negative portrayal of the struggle for Karabakh, which, according to him, was rejected by the electorate.

Meanwhile, Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Narek Mkrtchyan, speaking in Parliament, emphasized that democracy had prevailed in Armenia and that all political forces must respect the citizens’ choice. When asked about his influence as a Parakar resident, Mkrtchyan dismissed claims that any individual or party had leverage over electoral outcomes in specific regions. He also rejected suggestions that Civil Contract had lost public trust, asserting that the party remained confident in its ability to win the 2026 elections. However, he acknowledged that the government needed to improve its communication of development programs, particularly in consolidated settlements where many residents remained unaware of ongoing initiatives.