Armenia’s second president Robert Kocharyan announced that his team will participate in the 2026 parliamentary elections. Speaking with reporters, he said the 2021 elections demonstrated that he still holds influence over a segment of society and that there is potential for political consolidation, Sputnik Armenia reports.
“Now imagine I hadn’t taken part in the 2021 elections. Look at the 2018 December results. Did we get a better parliament then? Were my votes enough? No, they weren’t. Would we like to see other forces whose cooperation with us could lead to change? Yes, and we’ve expressed that clearly,” he said.
Kocharyan said it is illogical to claim that former presidents should not take part in politics. “If a political force enters an election, it is led by its leader. For example, Levon Ter-Petrosyan for the ANC, or Serzh Sargsyan for the Republican Party,” he added.
As for leading his own team, Kocharyan noted, “It’s not necessary for me to head it. If someone within our ranks can, according to polls, attract more votes, I’ll only be glad. That’s not a matter of principle; it’s about political reality and public sentiment.”
He also clarified the difference between “cooperation” and “consolidation.” “Consolidation means unity. The force that wins the most votes nominates the prime minister. We’re not just ready to cooperate, we’d even be glad if someone else wins more votes, because rescuing Armenia from this burden is a serious challenge. If someone can do better, I’ll be happy. I’m not aiming to become a minister; I just want to live freely. It’s as if people think I can’t sleep at night wondering when I’ll become prime minister. I’ve already served ten years as president and had no ambition to return to politics,” Kocharyan said.
He recalled that he was the first president who, while forming a government, cooperated with opposition forces.
Parliamentary elections in Armenia are scheduled for June 7, 2026.
