Fifty-three percent of the participants of the survey conducted by the International Republican Institute in June 2022 have a very positive or positive opinion about Nikol Pashinyan. Moreover, in 2021, that rating was lower – 45 percent. It turns out that within one year, our government under the leadership of Pashinyan has achieved such wonderful results that the prime minister’s rating has increased by 8 percent. Our citizens also highly appreciate the services of the NA Speaker Alen Simonyan to the nation – 34 percent. Former presidents Kocharyan and Ter-Petrossian are second to them, who collected 23 percent each.
It is expected that there will be people who will not agree with these numbers. They will say that they are lies, made up, etc. I also have some doubts that the rating of the authorities is exaggerated. But the important thing is not the absolute numbers, but their ratio. And this is also confirmed by other polls. Take even the sociological survey conducted by the Gallup international organization at the beginning of August, according to which, if the elections were held next Sunday, the Civil Contract would get 16.1 percent, and the Armenia bloc, occupying the second position, would get 5.1 percent.
Of course, the government does not have the absolute majority of citizens’ votes, but it does have a relative majority. The active part of Armenians who give certain answers to the polls and go to the elections gives priority to the current government. In particular, they have a positive attitude towards the head of the state defeated in the war. It can only indicate one thing: the majority of our citizens do not attach decisive importance to this defeat.
In that case, what could be the actions of the parliamentary opposition? Let’s go by the rule of thumb. This year’s street activity did not bring any results. You will not solve the issue of power change with a few thousand participants of rallies or marches. Only interviews and Facebook posts will not achieve results either. Therefore, no matter how painful it is for your self-esteem, the way out is to return to the parliament and advance the security agenda without the “enemy” and “traitor” labels.
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Yes, the majority of active citizens, as we have seen, are indifferent to that agenda. The government they like, too. But is it the right position to leave all responsibility for further developments on the Civil Contract? Maybe you should do what you can now?
Aram Abrahamyan
