Pashinyan accused of populism ahead of parliamentary elections

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's recent social media posts showing him eating snacks on transport, listening to popular “rabiz” music and engaging in casual, everyday activities reflect a classic model of populist political communication, according to a public relations expert.

Speaking to Panorama.am on Thursday, Astghik Avetisyan, a PR specialist, said the approach is designed to present the political leader as a “man of the people”, positioning him in contrast to perceived elites.

“At its core, this is populist communication,” Avetisyan said. “It relies on simple, sometimes deliberately unsophisticated language, elements of mass culture and messaging that signals ‘I am one of you.’ Emotional appeal plays a central role.”

She noted that a key component of this strategy is the deliberate simplification of the leader’s image, reducing the perceived distance between government and society. Examples include informal behavior, casual dress, direct interaction with citizens and the use of emojis on social media.

Avetisyan also described the trend as “media-performative politics”, where political activity is staged for visual impact and shareability. In such cases, substantive policy messaging is often overshadowed by memorable, easily digestible imagery.

Another element is emotional mobilization, she said, often framed through a division of “us versus them”, which can energize supporters but also deepen polarization. At the same time, political discourse becomes more “tabloid-like”, shifting away from formal language toward everyday expression.

The impact varies across audiences. Some citizens may feel a stronger connection to leadership, while others view the approach as superficial or distracting from more serious issues.

According to Avetisyan, such communication strategies are typically short-term tools, often employed during periods of declining public approval to rebuild political support.