
ArmInfo. MP Hayk Sargsyan, a representative of Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party, announced today that he no longer seeks a place on the party's electoral list for the upcoming 2026 parliamentary elections. His statement comes after an unsuccessful appeal against the Civil Contract board's decision that excluded him from the internal selection process.
"I have appealed this decision in accordance with established procedure. I was invited to a board meeting, and no objective justification was presented (for not including him on the party's proportional list), and my application was rejected. Because of this, I will not be able to exercise my right as a party member to be on the list so that my fellow party members can decide whether I will be a future member of the National Assembly," he stated.
According to Sargsyan, while the party publicly advocates for transparent principles, many within the party itself remain in the dark regarding the specific reasons for his disqualification from the internal party vote, which was supposed to determine his inclusion in the party's proportional list. "Now I have no desire to be on the Civil Contract election list," he stated.
When questioned about his future and his standing with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, he replied that he would fulfill his duties until the new parliament convenes-approximately September 2026-and "will continue to work towards the political goals the party has set for itself." Regarding his plans to meet with Civil Contract Chairman and Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Sargsyan stated that he does not plan to meet because "there is no necessity." "I understand that the Civil Contract party's board does not want me on the election list," he said. When asked whether this refers to "the board or, in particular, Nikol Pashinyan," he replied, "the board." Addressing rumors that his exclusion was linked to alleged "warm relations with representatives of the criminal subculture," Hayk Sargsyan dismissed them as groundless and absurd.
Recall, late last year, when he was asked why the commission rejected his candidacy, he replied, "Through my activities, I have hurt some people, but I don't want to name them yet." Hayk Sargsyan had previously been in the spotlight due to a conflict with his fellow party member, Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan.