Sargsyan says RPA will skip elections to avoid splitting opposition vote

Former Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has announced that the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) will not participate in the upcoming parliamentary elections to avoid fragmenting the opposition and to prioritize broader political change over securing seats.

Speaking at the RPA congress on Saturday, Sargsyan said the party could have surpassed the 4% electoral threshold with effective campaigning but emphasized that its primary goal is not parliamentary representation.

“We are not interested in winning a few seats. We need a change of power,” Sargsyan said.

He explained that the party’s absence from the elections is intended to consolidate opposition forces and give other groups the opportunity to fulfill their promises without blaming former authorities for political setbacks.

Sargsyan added that RPA supporters will still take part in the vote and are expected to back opposition candidates, arguing that their votes will contribute to efforts to prevent the current government from maintaining power.

“Our voters’ ballots will not be lost. They will join those of other opposition forces,” he said.

Sargsyan cknowledged that the decision was difficult but expressed confidence that it would be viewed as principled in the long term.

“We will never be ashamed of this decision,” Sargsyan said, describing it as an example of putting national interests above party interests.

Sargsyan also called on opposition groups to coordinate joint political actions during two major international events scheduled in Yerevan on May 4–5, namely the European Political Community summit and the first Armenia-European Union summit.

He proposed using the presence of dozens of high-level international delegations to highlight the country’s democratic shortcomings.

“What the current authorities have planned as a pre-election showcase should instead become an opportunity to present the country’s harsh realities,” he said.

Sargsyan said the Republican Party is ready to help coordinate such efforts in cooperation with other opposition forces, if they are interested.