Analyst says Armenian leadership relies on public apathy to maintain power

Armenia’s leadership relies on public apathy to cling to power, political analyst Suren Surenyants claims.

In an interview with Panorama.am on Monday, the Democratic Alternative party leader warned that recent incidents involving senior officials reflect a deeper erosion of political accountability.

Surenyants accused the government of fostering “value degradation” and “lawlessness”, citing examples involving Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan. He recalled a 2022 incident in which Simonyan spat on an opposition activist in Yerevan, sparking calls for his resignation. “When such actions carry no political consequences, officials grow more reckless. That is exactly what we are witnessing,” he said.

According to Surenyants, the authorities are deliberately cultivating a sense of helplessness among citizens. “Their only ally is an apathetic society. They want to infect people with hopelessness. Passive societies vote less, and low turnout amplifies the influence of administrative resources. That is the problem they are solving,” he explained.

The analyst emphasized that the antidote lies in mobilizing civic engagement through opposition-led initiatives. “An active society will not tolerate this. We need to change the public environment,” Surenyants said, stressing the importance of effective campaigns, citizen-focused programs and strong leadership. “It’s about striking the right balance between elections and street activism,” he concluded.