Democracy Watch

By Tigran Grigoryan This month, Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan attempted to reinvigorate his Tavush for Homeland movement with a rally in Yerevan’s Republic Square. Galstanyan had launched the movement in April, initially to protest the government’s approach to delimitation with Azerbaijan, and later to demand Prime Minister Pashinyan’s resignation. However, the rally signaled the movement’s decline. It […]

By Tigran Grigoryan and Karena Avedissian On September 19, the Constitutional Reform Council debated and ultimately rejected a proposal by the Union of Informed Citizens (UIC) to remove the constitutional provision that guarantees a stable majority in parliament before the 2026 elections. This provision, a central issue in discussions on electoral reforms, ensures a parliamentary […]

By Tigran Grigoryan On a recent work trip to Washington D.C.––my first visit to the United States––I found myself in my hotel room browsing online for interesting places to explore. I discovered Politics and Prose, a well-known bookstore, and decided to check it out. While looking through the shelves, I noticed the staff setting up […]

By Karena Avedissian For the last few years, many Armenians have felt alone — left to contend with increasingly belligerent threats and the consequences of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. But, paradoxically, the country is receiving more interest from Western capitals than it has in its entire history, with hundreds of millions of dollars being spent […]

By Karena Avedissian In online Armenian spaces, it is not uncommon to see political forces labeling people they disagree with “Turks,” “traitors,” or “Russian agents.” Some degree of polarization is typical in any society, but at a certain point, when it becomes about “us versus them,” it becomes toxic and signals something more troubling — […]

By Tigran Grigoryan and Karena Avedissian The state-run Corruption Prevention Commission has fined the heads of Hrazdan and Artashat towns 300,000 drams (approximately $776) each for failing to submit required written statements about conflicts of interest. These community leaders signed contracts with relatives and politically connected individuals without notifying the Commission, as mandated by law. […]

By Tigran Grigoryan  Armenia has been lauded for its democratic progress in the years following the 2018 Velvet Revolution. The promise of a more transparent, accountable, and inclusive government ignited hope among its citizens and caught the attention of the international community․ However, alongside notable advancements in electoral processes and freedom of speech, concerning trends […]