Media: Internal battle erupts in Armenian PM's party amid pre-election list race

An intense internal struggle has begun within Armenia’s ruling party, Civil Contract, as members seek to raise their personal ratings to secure the support of roughly 1,000 party delegates and earn a place on the pre-election candidate list.

The publication states that candidates from the ruling party need the backing of approximately 400–500 delegates to be included in the list, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Yerevan-based newspaper Zhoghovurd.

In addition to simply entering the list, the newspaper notes that candidates are also competing for higher positions, which could later translate into government roles. This is what explains the high level of internal competition within the party.

Armenia is preparing for parliamentary elections expected on June 7, 2026, when voters will elect all members of the National Assembly under the country’s proportional representation system. The exact date is set by the president within a constitutionally defined window in early June, and June 7 is widely understood as the likely election day because it is the only Sunday in that period—a traditional choice for voting.

The ruling Civil Contract Party, led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, currently holds a majority in the National Assembly. Its primary challengers include the Armenia Alliance under former president Robert Kocharyan, and the I Have Honor Alliance headed by Artur Vanetsyan.

The 2026 vote is widely framed by the government as a choice between continued peace and stability versus uncertainty, especially in the aftermath of the 2020 Karabakh war and related political crises. Pashinyan has emphasised that maintaining peace and consolidating Armenia’s sovereignty are central to his party’s platform.

By Khagan Isayev