Diagnosis remains the same: Armenian opposition lacks clear message or alternatives, Izvestia writes
The recent elections in Vagharshapat clearly reflected the political preferences of Armenian society, Caucasus expert Artur Atayev told Izvestia.
“The diagnosis remains the same. The opposition does not have a prominent leader who could symbolize the struggle or represent the rivals of Pashinyan. Secondly, they lack coherent messages and alternative proposals. One can criticize the current authorities, but at least they offer voters a clear set of ideas. They advocate for improving relations with the Turkic world, closer ties with the West, and distancing from Russia. Overall, the current campaign has dispelled some theories about a crisis of trust in Pashinyan — the ruling party’s rating remains quite high,” Atayev said.
According to the publication, several factors contributed to the opposition’s defeat. On one hand, the authorities expanded the Vagharshapat electoral district this summer by incorporating the Khoy and Voskehat communities, where the ruling party traditionally holds strong positions. Additionally, the opposition focused on issues of pressure and administrative leverage, while external analysts observed serious problems among the government’s opponents.
It was noted that protest forces failed to advance their own political agenda, instead limiting themselves to criticizing Pashinyan and his team’s actions. The report also highlighted that seven opposition groups participated in the elections, potentially undermining each other and confusing voters. Another issue was the passivity of the opposition groups. Many spoke during the campaign as if victory was assured, yet did little to actually achieve results. Meanwhile, the ambitious In Our Way movement, founded by jailed businessman Samvel Karapetyan, did not run at all, instead announcing support for “any force opposing the government.”
As a result, PM Nikol Pashinyan is reportedly extremely pleased with his victory. Opposition commentators, however, argue that the situation is far from straightforward.
