Nikol Pashinyan`s return to power in 2026 impossible without total  repression - politician 

ArmInfo.  Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will not be able to reassert his authority in 2026 without resorting to total repression. Political scientist  and leader of the Democratic Alternative party, Suren Surenyants,  stated this at a press conference in Yerevan.

As the political scientist noted, repression has become the most  widespread phenomenon in Armenia's political life and the only tool  Pashinyan uses to maintain his grip on power. Pashinyan's anti-church  campaign, including the planned invasion of Holy See Etchmiadzin on  December 28, also fits into this logic, according to the expert.  "Today, the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) is one of the few  structures that is not subordinate to the authorities," Surenyants  noted. At the same time, the politician believes that the country's  electoral process reached a critical point when EU High  Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas  stated that "the European Union is ready to support Armenia in the  fight against hybrid threats from Russia ahead of the 2026  elections." "Thus, EU officials effectively supported Pashinyan's  repression, which gave him the opportunity to reaffirm his electoral  authoritarianism in the country. Another PR tool for the current  government was the announcement that the 8th European Political  Community summit will be held in Armenia on May 4, 2026," Sureniants  believes.

However, the political scientist is confident that this can still be  countered. According to the expert, under the current circumstances,  the opposition must do everything possible to ensure more than 50% of  voters participate in the elections, in other words, turning society  into a subject of the upcoming processes. "If the number of voters  exceeds this threshold, the Moldovan election scenario will not be  repeated. After all, Pashinyan is counting on an apathetic and  hopeless society that will not go to the polls," the political  scientist explained.

Sureniants also suggested that around five significant opposition  centers are expected to emerge before the elections. He believes the  elections could contribute to the consolidation of these centers,  although he acknowledged that the opposition has not yet taken  sufficiently active steps in this direction, while the current  government is working effectively.

"To achieve qualitative change, the opposition must overcome its  internal contradictions, including resolving the issue of releasing  political prisoners and preventing the authorities' anti-church  campaign.  These two components are significant challenges to holding  legitimate and competitive elections. If these problems are not  resolved, the likelihood of Pashinyan's reign remaining high,"  Sureniants concluded.  As a reminder, the next parliamentary  elections in Armenia will be held on June 7, 2026.