Hayastan and the Pativ Unem bloc led by another former president, Serzh Sarkisian, have been at odds over the idea of a parliamentary vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and his government. It was floated late last month by two well-known critics of the government believed to be Sarkisian supporters.
Senior Hayastan members have dismissed the initiative, arguing that the two opposition groups lack the votes to even force a parliament debate on a motion of no confidence. By contrast, Pativ Unem continued to advocate such a move on Tuesday, offering to endorse Kocharian’s candidacy for the post of prime minister. But it still did not clarify just how the opposition could secure the backing of at least two dozen pro-government lawmakers necessary for ousting Pashinian.
Aghvan Vartanian, a senior Hayastan parliamentarian, scoffed at the offer, saying that it is a “reckless adventure of provocation.”
“It may be aimed at blackmailing Hayastan’s parliamentary group to say that it is attempting a no-confidence vote with Robert Kocharian’s candidacy or to admit that Robert Kocharian is not its [prime-ministerial] candidate,” he claimed.
Vartanian added that Kocharian “does not consider starting impeachment proceedings now a serious process.” Other Kocharian allies likewise suggested earlier that the no-confidence proposal is a ploy designed to discredit the Hayastan leader and score points at his expense before the next parliament elections due in June 2026.
Kocharian’s bloc finished second in the last elections held in 2021. It controls 28 seats in the 107-member National Assembly, compared with just 6 seats held by Pativ Unem.
Supporters of the two ex-presidents and erstwhile allies already traded bitter recriminations earlier this year. In particular, they accused each other of helping Pashinian come to power in 2018.