Opposition must go beyond elections to defeat Pashinyan government, MP says

Panorama.am spoke with Tigran Abrahamyan, an opposition MP and a senior member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), which is not running in the 2026 parliamentary elections, about the current political climate and the opposition’s strategy.

Anahit Voskanyan: Good afternoon, Mr. Abrahamyan.

For several months, in light of Nikol Pashinyan’s conduct, repeated betrayals, inhumane actions and pressure exerted on the Republic, I have been publicly urging opposition politicians, legal experts, former officials and current MPs to take legal action against him. My position has been that hundreds, if not thousands, of lawsuits should be filed seeking legal accountability, his removal from office and detention.

I have also repeatedly argued that the election results will ultimately reflect whatever figures the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) chooses to certify and announce. The CEC serves Nikol Pashinyan’s interests and will declare him the winner regardless of the actual outcome.

What I find surprising is that opposition forces continue to urge citizens to participate in the elections to prevent Pashinyan’s victory, while appearing to believe that he can genuinely be defeated through the electoral process.

How can opposition vote totals overcome Pashinyan if the final results are certified and announced by the CEC?

If there is so little confidence in the judiciary and no meaningful legal proceedings have been brought against Pashinyan, why place trust in the electoral commission?

Your party decided to sit out of elections. If Pashinyan ultimately emerges as the winner, public debate suggests that your party may be accused either of failing to support Robert Kocharyan or of indirectly aiding Pashinyan.

How would you respond to such criticism? And why did your party not pursue a broader legal strategy against Pashinyan through the courts?

I realize that your primary focus has been defense and military affairs, but this is a question I felt compelled to ask you personally.

Tigran Abrahamyan: There are certain realities about elections that are often better left unsaid during a campaign period.

Meanwhile, it should be acknowledged that defeating the current government through elections alone—under conventional political rules—will be extremely difficult unless the opposition is willing to defend its victory through public mobilization in the streets.

As for legal action, various groups and initiatives have submitted complaints to the Prosecutor General’s Office on a range of grounds. However, those efforts have largely gone nowhere, with the complaints effectively remaining dormant within institutions controlled by the current authorities.