Those who closely follow Pashinyan’s actions, rhetoric, and the strange fluctuations in his behavior have undoubtedly noticed his psychological distress and frequent uncontrolled outbursts on various occasions. Being naturally fussy and unbalanced, he may suddenly become irritated by something he dislikes, for example, a journalist’s question, which can cause him to flare up, start shouting, and create a scene. However, such behavior should not be hastily dismissed as an innate flaw or attributed to seasonal aggravation. Rather, he appears to suffer from a hunger for ratings and a growing sense that the ground is slipping from beneath his feet. This, in turn, has made him unbearably tense, tension he constantly tries to relieve.
Dissatisfaction with Pashinyan and the Civil Contract–led government is growing day by day. Although his supporters appear satisfied with the results of a U.S.-funded opinion poll, the International Republican Institute (IRI) survey, the data suggest otherwise: only 18% of respondents named him as their first choice, clearly reflecting a lack of broad public trust. Armenian society is rejecting him in much the same way that, eight years ago, he and his supporters “took a step and rejected Serzh” (Serzh Sargsyan), who had attempted to retain power as prime minister and with whom the public had grown dissatisfied. Sargsyan publicly acknowledged his mistake and ultimately stepped down.
However, public dissatisfaction with Pashinyan is now two to three times greater than it was during Sargsyan’s tenure. The incumbent prime minister has not only made mistakes, arguably the lesser issue, but, over eight years in power, has also committed numerous acts that his critics consider deeply damaging to the state and its people. For these actions, he and his close circle should be held accountable under the full force of the law. Today, public discontent is so strong that even fear does not prevent people from confronting him directly, including refusing him entry into institutions and driving him out of communities, churches, and shops, regardless of how meticulously his regional visits are organized, scripted, and staged.
“Hayatsk Yerevanits” Journal
ACNIS ReView, The Armenian Center for National and International Studies
