Opposition leader accuses Pashinyan of reviving divisive campaign tactics ahead of elections

Armenian opposition leader Edmon Marukyan, the prime ministerial candidate of the Bright Armenia Party, accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of resorting to divisive campaign tactics as the country heads toward parliamentary elections on June 7.

Speaking at a campaign stop near Yerevan’s memorial to victims of Soviet-era repression on Monday, Marukyan said Pashinyan was repeating the confrontational style seen during the 2021 vote. “They are once again trying to drive a wedge between different groups of society. This polarization only benefits them,” he told supporters.

Marukyan criticized Pashinyan’s recent exchange with a woman during, in which the prime minister used combative language. “He argued with a woman and said he would ‘crush’ this one or that one. These are the same games of 2021. It is nothing more than pre-election theater,” Marukyan said.

He urged voters not to be drawn into escalating tensions, warning against a repeat of the divisive atmosphere of the last election cycle. "Let’s not allow a repeat of 2021,” Marukyan added.