Ahead of the elections in Armenia, systemic problems related to political culture and unequal conditions of political competition continue to persist. These issues affect the quality of democratic processes and may further undermine citizens’ trust in elections. This was stated by Ashot Melikyan, chairman of the Committee to Protect Freedom of Speech.
Low civic engagement
Melikyan noted that a significant portion of citizens still lacks sufficient political knowledge and critical analysis skills regarding ongoing events. In his opinion, this is reflected both in voter turnout and in overall participation in public and political life.
He also pointed to a trend of declining or unstable voter activity. Melikyan recalled that in previous election cycles there were cases when participation rates were extremely low, falling to as little as 25%.
Overall, according to him, recent years have shown a negative trend of decreasing citizen involvement in political processes. This has resulted in low turnout during elections.
According to Melikyan, such a situation cannot be considered healthy for the political system.
Unequal conditions of political competition
Melikyan believes that one of the key problems is the inequality of opportunities among political forces. This is especially visible in the issue of resources available to different actors.
These include financial resources, access to media outlets, and campaign tools. As a result, political forces that have long been represented in the system and hold stable positions gain a significant advantage.
According to him, the constant information pressure exerted by participants with larger resources also disrupts the balance of political competition and affects voter perceptions.
Melikyan also stressed that the political system as a whole remains insufficiently institutionalized. In his opinion, the political field is largely controlled by a narrow circle of influential leaders, making it difficult for new actors to advance.
He added that this trend also hinders generational renewal within already established political parties.
According to Melikyan, concentration around well-known leaders creates additional barriers for the development of the political sphere and reduces genuine competition in the political process.