Current political developments in Armenia are a natural continuation of ongoing processes, but they represent only the beginning of a broader political struggle. This assessment was offered by negotiation expert Artur Martirosyan while commenting on the mass arrests of opposition figures and developments surrounding the Prosperous Armenia Party.
The Next Battle Will Focus on New MPs
According to Martirosyan, the ruling party has not yet achieved its primary objective—securing a constitutional majority in parliament.
He noted that, with mandates linked to the Prosperous Armenia Party, the authorities currently control three-fifths of parliamentary seats, but argued that this is still insufficient.
The expert believes political competition will continue, with the government relying on two principal instruments: pressure and political incentives.
According to him, after the new members of parliament take their seats, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will seek to persuade additional deputies to join the ruling camp in order to secure the desired constitutional majority.
Martirosyan argues that the authorities face no meaningful moral constraints in pursuing that objective.
Constitutional Majority as the Next Political Objective
According to the expert, complete parliamentary control is necessary for the government to move to the next stage of its political agenda.
He argues that, without a constitutional majority, it would be impossible to implement what he describes as commitments made to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Questions About the Separation of Powers
Martirosyan maintains that, regardless of public attitudes toward the Prosperous Armenia Party or its leader Gagik Tsarukyan, the current developments illustrate what he views as the absence of genuine separation of powers in Armenia.
According to him, political decision-making is concentrated in the hands of a single individual.
He argues that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan increasingly follows the principle traditionally associated with King Louis XIV: “I am the state.”
Martirosyan says the government’s message to society is effectively: “No one can challenge me, and I can do whatever I choose.”
Confidence Stemming From International Support
The expert concludes that the authorities display such confidence because they believe they possess broad international support for their actions inside the country.