Political tensions continue to rise in Armenia ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for June 7. At a time when confrontation between the ruling “Civil Contract” party and opposition forces is deepening, geopolitical issues, relations with Azerbaijan, and security matters have become the main topics of the election campaign. In recent days, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s statement that he is ready to resign, opposition concerns over low voter turnout, and Russia’s harsh messages regarding Armenia have further intensified the pre-election atmosphere in the country.
Political analyst Ahmad Shahidov spoke about the issue on the “Agenda” program of ARB24 Television. Ahmad Shahidov stated that the elections in Armenia are no longer an ordinary political race, but a struggle over the country’s future geopolitical orientation: “Nikol Pashinyan is trying to present himself as a leader who relies on the will of the people. He understands that compared to previous elections, public fatigue and dissatisfaction have increased. Despite this, Pashinyan is still considered the main favorite in the election. This is because the opposition remains fragmented and unable to present a unified political platform. Samvel Karapetyan, Arman Tatoyan, and groups close to the former authorities are mainly using revanchist and anti-Western rhetoric.”
According to Ahmad Shahidov, a serious geopolitical competition between Russia and the West is unfolding around the Armenian elections: “Sergey Lavrov’s recent statements show that Moscow is seriously concerned about Pashinyan’s rapprochement with the West and is promoting the narrative that Armenia is being dragged into a Ukraine-like scenario. The European Union and the United States, on the contrary, view Pashinyan as the main political figure capable of continuing the peace agenda in the region. Azerbaijan, meanwhile, is closely monitoring the entire process. For Baku, the key issue is not which political force governs Armenia, but whether the country abandons revanchism. The election results will directly affect the pace of the Azerbaijan-Armenia peace process and the future security balance in the region.”
