Edmon Marukyan says Armenia's future hinges on 2026 election outcome

Bright Armenia Party leader Edmon Marukyan has warned that Armenia’s sovereignty could depend on the outcome of the 2026 parliamentary elections, saying either Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is re-elected and “Azerbaijanis come to Armenia” or he is not and “the country remains Armenia”.

Speaking in a Facebook live broadcast on Tuesday, Marukyan accused Pashinyan of repeatedly echoing Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s rhetoric, pointing to Aliyev’s recent statement that Lake Sevan is “Goycha” and that all Armenian place names are of Azerbaijani origin. He also criticized the government for downplaying earlier opposition to a so-called “corridor” and for failing to raise the issue of 600,000 Armenians displaced from Azerbaijan.

Marukyan said Pashinyan’s re-election bid makes voter turnout crucial, urging broader efforts to ensure a “decisive victory” that would end Pashinyan’s rule.

“Either Nikol Pashinyan is re-elected and Azerbaijanis come to Armenia, or he is not re-elected and this country remains Armenia,” the ex-envoy stated.

The Bright Armenia Party will run in the elections independently, with Marukyan leading its electoral list.