YEREVAN. – If Armenia’s presidential election were to be held next Sunday, 68 percent of the respondents would vote for the ruling Republican Party candidate, incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan. Gallup International Association’s Armenia Office Director Aram Navasardyan informed this during a press conference on Thursday, and presented the results of Gallup’s pre-election survey that was conducted between February 2 and Tuesday.   

In line with these results, presidential candidate, opposition Heritage Party Chairman, former FM Raffi Hovannisian is second, as 24 percent of the respondents are ready to vote for him. Third is presidential candidate, opposition National Self-Determination Union Chairman Paruyr Hayrikyan, with 5 percent; and fellow candidate, opposition Freedom Party Chairman, former PM Hrant Bagratyan will receive 2 percent of the votes. The remaining contenders will receive slightly more than zero percent.       

As for the Armenian constituency’s preferences toward the presidential candidates, as per Navasardyan, contender Andreas Ghukasyan—who is on a hunger strike ever since January 21—received the largest of antipathy, as 22 percent of the respondents stated that they will not vote for him. The second in this list is Serzh Sargsyan, with 21 percent; he is followed by Hrant Bagratyan, with 20 percent; presidential contender, non-party affiliate, epic poetry specialist Vardan Sedrakyan, with 11 percent; presidential hopeful, National Accord party Chairman Aram Harutyunyan, with 9 percent; Paruyr Hayrikyan and presidential contender, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic former FM Arman Melikyan, with 7 percent apiece; and Raffi Hovannisian, with 4 percent.        

A total of 69 percent of the respondents said they definitely will cast their votes on election day on February 18; another 11 percent could cast their ballot; another 8 percent has not yet decided; and 4 percent has clearly decided not to vote.