The Pativ Unem bloc dominated by Sarkisian’s Republican Party first floated the idea of such a motion in April. But it failed to win the backing of the main opposition Hayastan alliance, even after offering to nominate its top leader, former President Robert Kocharian, as a prime-ministerial candidate.
Senior Hayastan members argued that the two opposition groups lack the votes to even force a debate on the issue in the National Assembly controlled by Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. Kocharian dismissed the long-shot initiative as “unserious” and “unrealistic,” adding to simmering tensions between the two ex-presidents.
It emerged on Tuesday that Pativ Unem has drafted a parliamentary resolution saying that Pashinian must be removed from power because he has failed to protect Armenia’s borders and thus lost the legitimacy to govern the country. It also blames Pashinian for the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh, says the 2020 war with Azerbaijan was the result of his reckless policies, and claims that “unilateral concessions” made by him only increase the risk of another Azerbaijani military aggression.
Pro-government lawmakers are bound to reject the proposed resolution that will have to be formally discussed by a standing parliament of the parliament. Hayastan representatives did not immediately react to it.
Kocharian and his political allies seem to regard the parliamentary elections due in June 2026 as the best way to oust Pashinian. By contrast, Sarkisian reiterated last week that he and his party have not yet decided whether to run in the elections. He said he believes a no-confidence vote is the best way to unseat Pashinian.
“The Republican Party of Armenia is not discussing the issue of participating in the elections or not because we are busy organizing the impeachment vote and we hope that all our partners will support us in this,” its parliamentary leader, Hayk Mamijanian, told reporters. “The elections will be held one way or another, and Pashinyan could, in the meantime, do so many irreversible things that it will already be too late.”
So far Sarkisian’s party has refrained from staging anti-government rallies in support of its initiative. Observers believe that it is unlikely to pull large crowds on its own.