Former MP calls for opposition unity to stop Armenia's 'final disintegration'

Former Armenian lawmaker Samvel Farmanyan claims that Armenia has “one to one-and-a-half months” to prevent the country’s “final disintegration”, urging opposition forces to quickly unite ahead of the June parliamentary vote.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Farmanyan proposed that opposition groups hold rapid primaries within two to three weeks to form a single electoral list and compete as a unified bloc.

He argued that in a direct contest between a united opposition and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the latter would have “no chance” of winning re-election or manipulating the outcome.

Farmanyan also suggested that the opposition immediately nominate the top candidate on the joint list as its candidate for prime minister in an impeachment effort and submit a no-confidence motion in the parliament.

At the same time, he called for nationwide rallies over three days while the motion is debated in the parliament. Even if the impeachment effort fails, he said, the protests could build momentum leading into the election and result in a decisive defeat for Pashinyan and his Civil Contract party.

Farmanyan criticized opposition leaders for what he described as personal ambitions and political weakness, arguing that Pashinyan’s main political strength has been a fragmented and ineffective opposition.