Armenian opposition MP says RPA has strategy to shape political agenda

Armenian opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan says the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has developed its own strategy for shaping the country’s political agenda and mobilizing street pressure, focused on a vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

In a social media post on Monday, Abrahamyan, who represents the Pativ Unem faction, said that defeating the government through elections or street protests first requires gaining control over the political agenda.

“Simply criticizing the government’s agenda and actions does not create an opportunity to take control of the situation,” he wrote.

According to Abrahamyan, the RPA’s approach to shaping the agenda and consolidating street pressure is to pursue a vote of no confidence in the prime minister, which he said could address “many visible and invisible problems” in case of broad consolidation.

Abrahamyan added that this step could also contribute to the success of a united opposition in upcoming parliamentary elections.

"If any political force does not share this approach, regardless of its reasoning, it should present an alternative proposal,” he said. “Otherwise, the authorities will quickly capitalize on their advantage in setting the agenda and shaping the propaganda narrative."