Coming parliamentary elections in Armenia to decide several  generations` fate - expert

ArmInfo. The upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia will determine the fate of not only the next five years, but also at least several generations to  come, and in this regard, they are truly historic. This is what Vahe  Hovhannisyan, a member of the Alternative Projects group, writes in  his article.

"The 2026 elections will be significantly different from the 2021  elections. There are practically no similarities. In 2021, public  sentiment was shocking, aggression was high, but there was no demand  for change. Now that aggression has subsided, but the demand for  change and the number of those demanding it have increased  significantly. This reality requires a different style of work. Under  these conditions, the chances of reproducing power are minimal.  Therefore, it will resort to 'changing the conditions.' I first  warned about this, when various opposition circles were euphoric over  the poll results. And Nikol (RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan - ed.)  actually went along with it. The arrests of priests on criminal  charges of 'terrorism,' the arrest of Samvel Karapetyan, the campaign  against the Church, the Washington Document, etc. A multi-genre  continuation will certainly follow: he will seek to create 'new  electoral conditions,'" the political scientist noted.

At the same time At the moment, he said, the opposition should be  understood as all those forces that desire profound change. This  formula provides an excellent opportunity for informal consolidation  and, therefore, a real chance to turn this tragic page in Armenia's  history. The idea of an opposition shouldn't be limited to two,  three, or four forces.

"You never know what unexpected turns of events can occur during the  pre-election period, who has what hidden potential. According to all  the polls, the overwhelming majority of the Armenian population wants  change. The task of political forces is to transform these sentiments  into a society ready for change. The false thesis of "peace" brought  by Nikol must be neutralized by a competent counter-political  formula. The prospect of real peace must be offered by the opposition  itself. Immediately after Nikol's election, Aliyev will put forward a  demand for a mass return of Azerbaijanis to Armenia, failure to  fulfill which will lead to a sharp aggravation of the situation. What  is important is that all those people who have competently fought for  change over the past 4-5 years do not exclude themselves from the  electoral process, do not say: "I am not involved in politics." This  is not politics, these are elections that will become a watershed in  Armenia for many years. Otherwise, Nikol's list will be opposed by  factional, careerist lists that have little to offer Armenia. These  elections are about "The path of post-war recovery. Those who have  something to say have no right to step aside," notes Vahe  Hovhannisyan.

He noted in this regard that new blocs, new alliances, and  unconventional blocs are of great value. The authorities are ready to  commit any lawlessness, but there is a clear antidote. The task of  the political establishment is to transform a society thirsty for  change into a struggling society. Once this is achieved, the  government's machine of lawlessness will begin to crumble.

"If the authorities suffer a defeat but attempt to cling to power  through election fraud, a general uprising will occur. Success is a  chain consisting of various links. It is necessary to transform the  latent demand for social change into a conscious, motivated demand,  which is the main anomaly of this stage. Usually, before elections,  the opposition tries in every way to revive political and social  processes, bring issues to the forefront, and maintain public  activity. Surprisingly, here it is the other way around: the  opposition is passive, the authorities initiate processes, and the  opposition merely responds. This is truly unnatural for the current  situation in Armenia, and it must change. In this regard, the idea of  impeachment and other ideas that generate political and social  activity could become a very important prelude to an important  process," the political scientist noted.