YEREVAN (Reuters):

Armenians voted yesterday in a parliamentary election regarded as a test of democracy in the Caucasian country and a dress rehearsal for a presidential contest next year.

The Republican party led by Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, a trusted lieutenant and favoured successor to President Robert Kocharyan, is expected to win. It held a majority in parliament with its allies before the election.

"A candidate from a party which gets a majority will have a good starting position for the presidential race," Kocharyan, 52, told reporters after voting with his wife Bella in central Yerevan.

Polling stations closed at 1500 GMT. The Central Election Commission said turnout was more than 55 per cent of the 2.3 million eligible voters in the ex-Soviet state.

The election commission expects to announce preliminary results on Sunday. In previous elections, the ruling party has claimed victory shortly after voting ended.

Voters are expected to credit Kocharyan's allies for years of strong economic growth. The opposition is divided and its members say they are not given fair treatment on tightly controlled television.

Kocharyan is to step down early next year when his second five-year term ends. He said the future president needed a significant power base to endorse his authority.

"If the president has solid support in the new parliament he will become a serious president, if not - he will just be a figurehead," Kocharyan said.