A change of power in Armenia is entirely possible through elections. If the opposition manages to actively work with the large segment of voters who do not participate in elections, it will be possible to form a new government. This was stated by former Speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan.
The Issue of Legitimacy: Between Numbers and Perception
He recalled that in the 2021 parliamentary elections, the current government received the support of only about 26% of eligible voters. According to him, such a result cannot serve as a full basis for legitimacy, since, by classical understanding, a legitimate government is one that enjoys the support of at least more than half of the population.
Torosyan emphasized that even these 26% did not reflect the real support for the government, as various methods were used during the electoral process — from the use of administrative resources to directing voters and committing violations. In this context, Torosyan argues that the real public support for the government was already significantly lower back in 2021.
Decline in Support and Public Discontent
Torosyan is convinced that today trust in the government has not only not increased, but has sharply decreased. According to his assessment, the current government enjoys the support of only 10–15% of voters.
He points out that public discontent has become particularly visible even at meetings organized by the government itself, where open expressions of dissatisfaction and even anger from citizens are recorded. According to Torosyan, such a picture was almost never observed in 2021, which indicates a significant shift in public sentiment.
The Logic of Voter Turnout
In Torosyan’s opinion, the level of participation in elections is directly linked to the effectiveness of political forces’ work. As he puts it, a citizen goes to vote only when he is convinced that some political force can solve his problems.
Torosyan asserts that in 2021 the current ruling team would not have won if the opposition had managed to work effectively with society. According to his assessment, it was precisely the opposition’s weak performance that led to low voter turnout, which in turn ensured the victory of the Civil Contract party.
In his conclusion, he noted that the main problem lies not only with the government, but with the entire political system — especially in the development of parties and the quality of their work with society.