Analyst: Pashinyan has no chance of winning a fair election

Political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan, head of the Voskanapat Analytical Center, claims Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan “has no chance of winning in a fair election”.

In an interview with Aysor.am on Friday, Melik-Shahnazaryan expressed concerns that the upcoming elections – whether held early or as scheduled for 2026 – could be manipulated to legitimize a so-called peace agreement with Azerbaijan

“The authorities have always had the tools to rig elections, sow division among opponents and suppress dissent,” the analyst said. “Pashinyan has no chance of securing a victory in a truly fair election. But the real question is whether we can expect the next elections to be fair at all."

He stated that none of the elections held under Pashinyan’s government was genuinely democratic regardless of whether the results were challenged.

While not ruling out the possibility of Pashinyan's removal through elections, he emphasized the need for more immediate action. “We shouldn’t wait until 2026. Every day this government remains in power poses threats to the country," he stated.

Melik-Shahnazaryan urged the opposition to unite around Pashinyan’s impeachment process, warning that failure to act could lead to another capitulation, territorial concessions to Azerbaijan disguised as border demarcation and constitutional changes. “All forms of resistance should be considered,” he stressed.