The question of who brought the incumbent prime minister to power has loomed large ever since 2018. Initially, it served as a means to comprehend the political process unfolding in the Republic of Armenia and anticipate future developments. However, the 44-day war in 2020, culminating in the devastating complete de-Armenianization of Artsakh, amplified the question with an alarming urgency. Unraveling who brought the prime minister to power also carries the weight of accountability: whoever holds responsibility for his rise must answer for the war and the subsequent three years of tragic events.
A terrible event befell us, claiming a dozen thousand lives, shattering destinies, displacing over a hundred thousand individuals, who became refugees and leaving countless young people disabled. Armenia itself faces threats to its statehood, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Meanwhile, our population grapples with a loss of faith in the future, uncertainty, fear, disappointment, and psychological shock, with no clear prospects for the next generation.
Intriguingly, the question of “who brought Nikol to power” and the possible answers come from individuals who actively participated in the 2018 rallies, blockading streets and celebrating his rise to prime minister. Today, these same individuals allege a conspiracy, claiming hidden forces manipulated them to create a false revolutionary scenario. Supposedly, this involved the previous government and external actors, each with their own visions for the future. However, there seems to be a common thread: that this conspiracy aimed to surrender Artsakh. Put simply, “the problem of Artsakh was put on Nikol’s shoulders.”
While this might be imaginative thinking, let individuals decide for themselves whether 2018 was a revolution or a conspiracy. Access to facts and information allows for informed conclusions. Moreover, we should explore other questions: how did so many mobilize, how did a tabloid writer become charismatic, and why does he still enjoy support?
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Most crucially, the question of questions: why did the majority vote for him in 2021? This seemingly unnatural, immoral phenomenon presents a near-unsolvable mystery. Understanding this is arguably more important than the initial query, as it reveals the true culprit, the individual or entity responsible for placing Nikol at the helm of the Armenian people.
Looking back, “traces” seem to point toward the previous government, under whose rule public faith in electoral change eroded completely. During the Republican Party of Armenia’s reign, the government-people connection fractured, systemic corruption, patronage, and social injustice flourished, and equal opportunities for citizens vanished.
This list of transgressions and illegalities could go on, but even this snapshot illustrates the fertile ground for conspiracy in 2018. Such a web of negative circumstances paved the way for even Nikol Pashinyan, opening the door to power. And the door was opened.
The Armenian Center for National and International Studies