'An alliance of political has-beens': members of Armenia’s ruling party on opposition efforts to unite
Pashinyan on opposition unity
After Armenia’s Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against Samvel Karapetyan, leader of the opposition Strong Armenia party, and detained him, more than a dozen opposition groups in Armenia issued a joint statement. They announced the formation of a nationwide coalition whose main goal, they said, would be to oppose “the Aliyev constitution being imposed on Armenia”.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said that a draft of the country’s new constitution is ready and that the authorities will publish it in November. Two-thirds of MPs must support the initiative for the country to hold a referendum on the issue. However, the ruling party does not have enough seats to secure that majority on its own. It is therefore counting on opposition MPs to back the proposal. The prime minister has repeatedly said that Armenia itself needs a new constitution. The opposition, however, believes the government is acting on Azerbaijan’s demands.
Baku demands amendments to Armenia’s constitution as a precondition for signing a peace treaty. Azerbaijan argues that the current constitution contains territorial claims against it. The constitution itself contains no explicit statements that would support such concerns. However, it refers to the Declaration of Independence, which mentions the reunification of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The new constitution will reportedly omit this reference.
“Whatever happens, they start talking about Aliyev and Azerbaijan. These are anti-state elements who simply want to protect what they stole [when they were in power],” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in response to the opposition’s statement.
Pashinyan also commented on the groups that had joined forces. He said the picture would be complete if “Ktrich Nersisyan [the Catholicos of All Armenians’ secular name]” joined them.
Pashinyan deliberately uses the secular name of the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. During his prolonged public conflict with the Church’s senior clergy, the prime minister has repeatedly said that he does not consider Garegin II a legitimate Catholicos. He has accused the Church leader of breaking his vow of celibacy, engaging in political activity and maintaining links with the pro-Russian opposition and foreign intelligence services.
“I think this format could have staged a revolution and changed the government in Armenia within just a few days. But it is not too late even now. If, for example, they meet in this format tonight, I think there will be a revolution by Sunday evening,” Pashinyan said, with undisguised sarcasm.
Authorities detained Samvel Karapetyan, a major businessman and leader of the Strong Armenia party, on 4 November. He and 35 other people linked to him face accusations of causing substantial damage to Electric Networks of Armenia, misappropriating entrusted property and laundering money on an especially large scale. The alleged damage to Electric Networks of Armenia, which Karapetyan owned until recently, exceeds 64.585bn drams (more than $180m). Today, the Anti-Corruption Court ordered Karapetyan’s pre-trial detention for one month.
In June 2025, authorities arrested him on suspicion of publicly calling for the seizure of power and the overthrow of the constitutional order. Prosecutors later brought additional charges involving economic crimes, including money laundering and tax evasion. In January 2026, the authorities changed his pre-trial measure to house arrest. Now he is back in custody.
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Four main goals of the united opposition
The previous day, representatives of opposition groups had gathered at Samvel Karapetyan’s home. Following their discussions, his nephew, Narek Karapetyan, leader of the Strong Armenia parliamentary faction, published the text of their joint statement:
“We, the undersigned Armenian political forces, recognising the gravity of the existential challenges facing the Armenian people and Armenian statehood, and despite our differences in approach and disagreements on a number of issues, hereby announce the formation of a nationwide alliance.”
Opposition groups that had previously failed to unite have now come together around four shared goals:
- “opposing the Aliyev constitution being imposed on Armenia;
- achieving peace without unilateral concessions or territorial losses;
- protecting national identity and the sacred Armenian Apostolic Church;
- restoring democratic freedoms and rights.”
They also agreed to join forces to foster unity in society and help address the country’s pressing problems. In addition, they called on all political forces, public figures and civil society representatives to join the process of “national consolidation”.
Twelve representatives signed the statement. The coalition includes, among others:
- Strong Armenia (led by Samvel Karapetyan);
- the Armenia Alliance (led by former president Robert Kocharyan);
- Prosperous Armenia (led by businessman Gagik Tsarukyan, who has been arrested on suspicion of fraud, money laundering and extortion);
- the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Dashnaktsutyun;
- the Republican Party of Armenia (led by former president Serzh Sargsyan);
- the Armenian National Congress (led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan);
- the national civic movement Hayakve, and several other smaller political groups.
“Those who have no arguments talk about Aliyev and Azerbaijan”
Pashinyan responded to claims that Karapetyan’s arrest was an attempt to pressure the opposition into supporting a referendum on the new constitution. He stressed that he had consistently spoken about persuading opposition members of the need to adopt a new constitution, not forcing them to do so.
He added that the ruling party wanted the Armenian people to “adopt a constitution through a free vote for the first time in their history”, while the opposition calls it “Aliyev’s constitution”.
“Their goal is to weaken and humiliate the state, undermine sovereignty and the power of the people, so that, in effect, Armenia would cease to exist as a state.”
The prime minister said he was fighting “deep-rooted negative phenomena”, including the tendency of “pseudo-elites” to impose false, pseudo-patriotic narratives on society while pursuing their own narrow interests.
According to Pashinyan, this is a familiar tactic used by the opposition:
“Those who have no arguments bring up Aliyev or Azerbaijan. We must realise that we often view the world through the lens of language and approaches imposed from outside – whether from the West, East, North or South.”
He argued that Armenia should instead view the world and its own state through the lens of its own interests.
Journalists asked the prime minister whether the criminal case against Samvel Karapetyan was justified. The opposition has described the prosecution as politically motivated.
“If Armenia’s law enforcement agencies took this step knowing that it would trigger such speculation, they must have compelling grounds for opening the case. For decades, the words ‘Azerbaijan’, ‘Aliyev’ and ‘Turkey’ have served as a smokescreen in Armenia to conceal embezzlement. If the embezzlement of 64 billion drams [$180m] actually took place, what should Armenia’s law enforcement system do? It has a duty to act. That is precisely what the people demand. What does Aliyev have to do with it? Can anyone explain that to me?” he replied.
Pashinyan believes the current situation offers an excellent opportunity to establish exactly how Samvel Karapetyan and other “so-called philanthropists” amassed their enormous fortunes.
What members of the ruling party think about opposition unity
Other members of the ruling Civil Contract party also responded to the opposition’s joint statement.
“Karapetyans, the Republican Party of Armenia [former president Serzh Sargsyan’s party], Kocharyan’s party, as well as LTP [a reference to former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan] and the others have formed the ‘Serzh Front’ – SF. Congratulations to my colleagues on this brilliant achievement,” National Assembly Deputy Speaker Vaagn Aleksanyan wrote.
MP Taron Chakhoyan said he was eagerly awaiting the opposition’s street movement. He was alluding to the fact that, despite years of promises to change the government, opposition groups have failed to bring enough people on to the streets to pose a serious challenge.
“A political wake took place at Samvel Karapetyan’s house. Political corpses gathered there. I am waiting for them to launch their street movement and seize power. They say they have more than 50% of the votes.”
MP Lilit Minasyan called the opposition a “gift” to the ruling party.
“Damn it, you really are a gift. I urge all young men and women who are interested in politics and were born in Armenia to enter the political arena and engage in opposition politics,” she said.
She was referring to the fact that, in her view, most opposition figures are Armenian only by birth, since their lives, interests and businesses lie in other countries.
Pashinyan on opposition unity
