Armenian opposition must aim beyond electoral victory, former FM says

Former Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian says the country’s opposition has largely consolidated ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections, with parties unveiling candidate lists and policy platforms focused on peace, economic growth, poverty reduction, justice and national unity.

Writing on social media on Tuesday, Oskanian emphasized that the next critical step is to entrench the idea of a “collective opposition” in the public mindset, shifting the focus from fragmented political efforts to a unified national objective.

“I am convinced that this collective opposition will win the elections,” he said. “However, victory alone is not enough. A higher benchmark must be set.”

According to Oskanian, the opposition’s goal should not be limited to preventing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan from regaining power. He argued it should also seek to ensure that the ruling party fails to enter the parliament.

“Only then can we definitively close the chapter of the past eight years, leaving that period and its consequences behind,” he said.