Armenia’s election line‑up so far

Armenia’s pivotal parliamentary elections are set for June 7. With a registration deadline of late April, a number of political figures (and parties) have already declared their intention to run. Parties need at least five percent of the vote to enter parliament. Though there is still much time for shifts, here’s what we know so far about who’s who in the race.

Samvel Karapetyan (Our Way) 

The Russian-Armenian billionaire, currently under house arrest, is the owner of Tashir Group, an influential business empire tied to Armenia’s energy sector through the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA). Karapetyan’s conglomerate is largely based in Russia, and includes vast holdings in the construction, energy, and retail sectors. He is consistently ranked among Russia’s richest people by Forbes, with a net worth of around $3 billion. 

Last June, he was arrested following an interview in which he defended the Armenian Apostolic Church. Investigators allege that his remarks amounted to a call to overthrow the government and undermine the constitutional order. Karapetyan denies the allegations. Shortly after his detention, the government began a process to nationalize ENA and revoked its operating license, a process which is still ongoing. 

After his arrest, Karapetyan began assembling a political team and founded the Our Way party, with his relatives doing much of the public organizing as Karapetyan remains under house arrest. As a dual Russian-Armenian citizen, he is unable to run for office, however he has been announced as the party's candidate for prime minister. Karapetyan is considered to be supportive of maintaining close ties with Russia.

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Robert Kocharyan (Armenia Alliance)

Former Armenian President from 1998-2008, Kocharyan’s Armenia Alliance is the largest opposition coalition in parliament, currently holding 28 out of the 107 seats, by winning 21% of the vote in the previous 2021 election. 

Kocharyan is a controversial figure, stemming from allegations of widespread corruption during his term in office. He is also remembered for a violent crackdown of a protest movement that resulted in 10 deaths. Observers say fear of a Kocharyan comeback largely contributed to Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s win in 2021. They believe a similar scenario is possible in the upcoming election. Despite attempts by Pashinyan to legally prosecute him, none have been successful. 

Kocharyan has called for the immediate restoration of close, strategic relations with Russia, which he argues were damaged under Pashinyan. He has also warned that the U.S.-backed Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project is a major security threat for the country. With both Karapetyan and Kocharyan firmly in the pro-Russian camp, they draw from the same voter base, which would likely benefit Pashinyan if they do not join forces in a coalition. 

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Gagik Tsarukyan (Prosperous Armenia)

A noted oligarch, Tsarukyan’s Prosperous Armenia was initially a part of the ruling coalition when it entered parliament in 2007. However, in 2012 it left the coalition. Observers say while Tsarukyan does not have the support to win the election, his base in his hometown of Kotayk could provide enough votes to enter parliament.

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Arman Tatoyan (Wings of Liberty)  

Tatoyan is a former Human Rights Ombudsman appointed by former President Serzh Sargsyan. He is a sharp critic of the ruling Civil Contract party in recent years, particularly over their approach toward Baku. He has urged all former presidents to stay out of the elections, signaling that he wants to position himself as a genuine “third force” alternative to the current government and the old elite. Politically, he has taken a clear pro-Western stance, including open support for the TRIPP agreement. He has furthermore taken hawkish positions on foreign policy and defense.

The primary question for him during the campaign is whether he has the resources to break through against far better financed rivals. The ruling party seeks to portray him as a front for ex-President Serzh Sargsyan. While his supporters deny any political link, the claim could damage him if it sticks. 

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Aram Sargsyan (Republic Party)

Sargsyan is a former prime minister who succeeded his brother General Vazgen Sargsyan upon his assassination in 1999. His party (not to be confused with Serzh Sargsyan’s Republican Party) is a vocally pro-Western, anti-Russian “loyal opposition” to the ruling party. He generally pushes measures that Civil Contract avoids. Most analysts doubt that Republic Party will cross the five percent threshold to enter parliament. 

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Andranik Tevanyan (Mother Armenia Party)

Mother Armenia was founded by Tevanyan in 2023 after resigning his post as a member from the Kocharyan-aligned Armenia Alliance. The party then ran in the Yerevan municipal election, receiving 15 percent and 12 seats on the council, and subsequently also gained a few seats on the Gyumri and Vagharshapat councils as well. Tevanyan is staunchly opposed to Pashinyan and his party is overtly pro-Russian. 

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I Am Against All  

The newly-established group is referred to as a “self-dissolving party,” as its stated goal is to take power for only 100 days, during which it will change the voting system to be more representative and then hold a new election. Currently, Armenia’s system awards extra seats to the winning party to ensure a stable majority, and a minimum vote threshold is required to get into parliament. However with crowded fields like this one, the system inflates the leading party’s representation compared to its actual public support. The alternative system would likely lead to a coalition government, as it is highly unlikely any force will receive a majority of votes. Lowering the threshold needed to enter parliament to 1% will also diversify representation. 

The party’s leaders are considered to be largely educated and affluent, some of which have found success in Armenia’s burgeoning IT sector. Most are veterans of the 2020 44-Day War. Their approach is unorthodox, but could resonate with the large part of the electorate which is disillusioned with both the ruling government and the familiar faces of the opposition parties. 

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Levon Zurabyan (Armenian National Congress or ANC)

ANC is the party of first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Above all opposed to Pashinyan, the party is not expected to reach the threshold of votes needed to enter parliament. Observers say Zurabyan may join in coalition with one of the stronger opposition parties to increase its chances of success. 

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Nikol Pashinyan (Civil Contract)

Now approaching eight years in office, Pashinyan’s popularity has considerably diminished compared to the jubilation over his successful “Velvet Revolution” in 2018. Observers say his election strategy will be to frame the vote as a choice between his government and the country’s most unpopular forces, including former President Kocharyan and other pro-Russian forces.

Pashinyan will campaign on the normalization process of peaceful relations with Azerbaijan, which has received a boost in recent months by the Washington Declaration signed at the White House in August, as well as economic growth and Armenia’s gradual shift away from Russia. It is unclear to what degree the ruling government will use its power and resources to impact the vote. 

It is expected that Russia will use its influence to defeat Pashinyan. Arman Grigoryan, the head of Armenia’s Security Council, recently described “hybrid threats from third countries” as the biggest risk the country faces this election year.