ArmInfo. The participation of Robert Kocharyan, the leader of the "Armenia" bloc and Armenia's second president, in the 2026 parliamentary elections will mean a conscious replication of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's power. Samvel Farmanyan, former Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) MP and politician, stated this in an interview with Factor.
The politician is convinced that the people of Armenia are currently concerned with one question: how to remove Pashinyan from power. In this regard, he urged people to ask whether Robert Kocharyan's participation contributes to this goal or, on the contrary, leads to the opposite result, namely, the replication of Pashinyan's power. "It's important to understand that the majority of Armenian society has a negative attitude toward Armenia's second president. This is confirmed by both sociological surveys and conversations with people. Let's understand that citizens are guided by two motives in elections: either they like a certain politician and vote for them, or they don't want to see someone in power and choose the alternative they have to rule out the possibility of an undesirable candidate coming to power," the politician clarified.
Farmanyan believes a similar situation occurred in 2018, when Armenian society rejected the Republican Party of Armenia, in particular, then-President and later Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. He also clarified that the Armenian people have a similar attitude toward all three former presidents of Armenia. "The same thing happened in 2021, when society, seemingly disillusioned after the 44-day war of 2020, nevertheless, not wanting to see Kocharyan in power, elected Pashinyan again (recall that third president Serzh Sargsyan's "With Honor" bloc also participated in the 2021 elections - ed.). That is, thanks to Kocharyan's negative ratings, Pashinyan legitimately reasserted his power. And from 2021 to 2026, Kocharyan, effectively became Pashinyan's "sparring partner" in parliament, allowing him to "revive" his ratings after the war. And essentially, today there is a threat that we will step into the same river for a third time," the politician believes.
According to Farmanyan, the only formula for a change of power in the country is the consolidation of the opposition into a united front in the current situation. "Pashinyan will only be able to renew his power if the people of Armenia see a real alternative to the Prime Minister in someone they don't hate. And we must provide such an alternative. If the opposition unites into a united front and simultaneously launches a rational street struggle, then it will be possible to remove Pashinyan from power even before the elections. In the current situation, when the future of the country is at stake, blessed is he who can put his ambitions aside," the politician concluded.
Recall, Armenia's second president, Robert Kocharyan, and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), along with the "Forward" political force, will participate in the upcoming June 7 parliamentary elections as part of the "Armenia" bloc. The bloc's candidate for Prime Minister of Armenia will be the first president of Artsakh, Armenia's second president, Robert Kocharyan. On April 1, Serzh Sargsyan's party, the Republican Party of Armenia, issued a statement that it would not directly participate in the parliamentary elections.
Azerbaijani Studies Expert: While Azerbaijan Prepares Its Generation for War, Aliyev’s Aide Calls on Armenia to Prepare Armenian Society for “Peace”
Turkologist: Azerbaijan will never, under any circumstances, stop pressuring the Armenian people
Political scientist: We need to move away from the question of "when" and replace it with more important questions
International Law Specialist: Azerbaijan intends to initiate legal proceedings against Armenia by sentencing Armenian prisoners
Dmitry Medvedev predicted a Ukrainian-like fate for Armenia amid the country`s shift in foreign policy
Russian Security Council: In Armenia, they want to force Russian asset owners to dispose of their assets
Zakharova: Russia ready to discuss with Armenia the prospects for expanding military cooperation as part of a review of bilateral ties
Tevanyan: Armenia, like Ukraine and Moldova, is being drawn into the EU’s global war
Yerevan City Hall is considering introducing a valet parking system in the city
Expert: The circus surrounding the “Albanization” of Armenian culture in the presence of foreign ambassadors in occupied Artsakh is genocide
Political scientist: If Russian-Armenian relations are destroyed, Turkey will take Russia`s place
Political scientist: The Armenian public is simply obliged to significantly change the entire content of public discourse and struggle
Cross tattoos are being removed from the skin of Christian prisoners in Azerbaijan by fire, according to a human rights activist.
Zakharova: Armenia`s likely introduction of visas with Russia will be a step against Yerevan itself
Putin: Armenia`s recognition of Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan in Prague has given Russia`s position on this issue an ambivalent character
Putin: Armenia`s adoption of the law on EU accession means an announcement of its withdrawal from the Eurasian Economic Union
Aram Vardevanyan: Public demands solutions, not apology scandals in Parliament
Arrested Armenian oligarch on economy and new jobs 
