Most Armenian Citizens Interviewed on the Streets of Yerevan Oppose Re-Electing Pashinyan to a Third Term
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As Armenia prepares for its high-stakes parliamentary elections on June 7, political tensions are rising across the country, with debates over leadership, security, peace negotiations, and the nation’s future dominating public conversation. Against this backdrop, The Armenian Report took to the streets of Yerevan to ask ordinary citizens a direct question: Does Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan deserve to be re-elected for a third term?
Over the course of roughly two hours, The Armenian Report spoke with an estimated 60 to 70 people in central Yerevan, attempting to capture the mood of the public just weeks before Armenians head to the polls. While many declined to speak on camera or avoided giving a direct political answer, approximately 20 citizens openly shared their opinions about the upcoming election and Pashinyan’s leadership.
Among those who gave a clear answer, only three expressed support for Pashinyan remaining in office for another term.
The overwhelming majority of those interviewed voiced frustration, disappointment, exhaustion, or distrust toward the current government.
The Armenian Report’s informal street survey reflects only a small sample of opinions and should not be viewed as scientific polling. However, the conversations revealed the emotional intensity surrounding this election and the deep divisions that continue to exist within Armenian society.
The reactions gathered on the streets of Yerevan come just days after the release of a nationwide survey conducted by the International Republican Institute, which painted a more optimistic picture of the country’s overall direction.
According to the poll, conducted between May 5 and 11 through telephone interviews with 1,511 respondents across Armenia, 61% of Armenians said they believe the country is moving in the right direction ahead of the June 7 parliamentary elections. The figure represents the highest level of optimism recorded since October 2019, before the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war dramatically reshaped Armenia’s political and security landscape.
The survey also found strong voter interest in the upcoming election, with many Armenians saying they plan to participate in the vote. National security, peace negotiations, unemployment, and economic stability remained among the top concerns for respondents.
The contrast between the optimism reflected in nationwide polling and the frustration voiced by many people on the streets of Yerevan shows the complexity of Armenia’s political climate ahead of the election.
For some Armenians, Pashinyan remains the leader best positioned to navigate Armenia through a difficult and dangerous regional environment. For others, the pain of war, territorial loss, and political disappointment has become impossible to separate from his leadership.
The June 7 election is shaping up to be one of the most emotionally charged and consequential votes in Armenia’s modern history. The outcome will likely determine not only who governs the country, but also how Armenia positions itself geopolitically, how it approaches relations with neighboring Azerbaijan and Turkey, and how the nation attempts to rebuild trust internally after years of crisis.
Beyond Armenia itself, the election is also being closely watched by Armenians across the diaspora. From Glendale to Paris, Beirut, Moscow, and beyond, diaspora Armenians are following developments from afar, debating the country’s direction, and anxiously waiting to see what future Armenian voters will choose on June 7.
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