“This is becoming an increasingly realistic political objective with each passing day,” Pashinian told the outgoing National Assembly.
“Whoever thinks that these three political forces could enter the parliament shows disrespect [for voters,]” he said.
Pashinian accused former President Robert Kocharian’s Hayastan alliance, billionaire Samvel Karapetian’s Strong Armenia party and the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) led by another wealthy businessman, Gagik Tsarukian, of having insulted the electorate with their public statements. He said he therefore “cannot believe” that many Armenians will vote for them in the upcoming elections.
The remarks contrasted with statements made by senior members of Pashinian’s Civil Contract party in March and February this year. In a series of social media posts, they signaled concerns that the three opposition forces could collectively win a majority in the next parliament and thus oust Pashinian. They said at the same time that the country’s leadership “will not allow” such an outcome, stoking media speculation that at least some of the opposition heavyweights could be barred from the June 7 elections.
Armenia - Supporters of billionaire and opposition leader Samvel Karapetian rally in Yerevan, April 11, 2026.
Pashinian has stepped up attacks on Strong Armenia, Hayastan and the BHK since then. In his latest speech on the parliament floor, he again branded them as a “three-headed party of war” keen to reignite Armenia’s conflict with Azerbaijan. Opposition leaders say he is resorting to scaremongering in a desperate bid to avoid losing power.
The speech came at the end of a three-day parliament debate on the current Armenian government’s execution of its five-year policy program adopted following the last general elections held in 2021. Opposition lawmakers again accused Pashinian and his party of failing to deliver on their main 2021 campaign promises. They also continued to blame the premier for the 2020 war with Azerbaijan, Baku’s subsequent recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh and grave security challenges facing Armenia.
“You are the one who brought war, you are the one who brought disasters, you are the one who brought losses, and you will continue to bring them if you remain in power,” one of them, Hayastan’s Artsvik Minasian, charged.