Administrative Resources and an Uneven Playing Field Ahead of Elections
28.11.2025
By Tigran Grigoryan
On November 22, Yerevan hosted the first conference of Armenia’s state administration representatives, an event attended by more than 7,000 state and municipal employees. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan delivered a keynote speech packed with political and ideological messages – many of which are expected to form the backbone of the ruling party’s upcoming electoral campaign. Notably, the event was held on a non-working day (Saturday).
The participation of thousands of state employees on a weekend has raised serious concerns about the politicization of the public administration and potential misuse of administrative resources. Ruling party MP Vahagn Aleksanyan denied that employees were pressured to attend but admitted that the internal state communication system “most likely circulated” information about the event.
The episode underscores a broader issue: no other political force in Armenia has the capacity to assemble thousands of public employees for a political-leaning event. As the country effectively enters a pre-electoral period, the ruling party’s structural advantages – and its willingness to use them – are becoming more visible.
Escalating Patterns of Administrative Resource Use
In recent months, several high-profile examples have highlighted increasing use of state resources for political purposes. The most striking is the promotion and financing of the “Learning is Trendy” (Կրթվելը նորաձև է) initiative, implemented by the “My Step” Foundation led by Anna Hakobyan, the Prime Minister’s spouse.
Pashinyan, Hakobyan, and other public figures have held numerous meetings with citizens across Yerevan and the regions under the banner of this initiative. These gatherings routinely echo key messages from the ruling party’s political discourse, effectively functioning as early campaign events.
In June, it became publicly known that this initiative is partly financed from the state budget. The head of the Prime Minister’s Office, Arayik Harutyunyan, confirmed in Parliament that the state funds those “Learning is Trendy” initiative events attended by the Prime Minister. At the same time, the Office refused to disclose how much money is being allocated, stating that the relevant expenses were included in the government’s classified procurement plan.
Use of Public Television to Amplify Political Messaging
Events linked to “Learning is Trendy,” which carry clear political undertones, are broadcast live on Public Television, during prime time and free of charge. Public Television has also been playing an active role in amplifying the government’s messaging in its ongoing confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church.
Over recent weeks, Public TV has been extensively covering Pashinyan’s Sunday visits to religious services held by defrocked priests or clergy who are willing to defy the Catholicos’s orders – again raising concerns about the use of taxpayer-funded media to promote the ruling party’s political agenda.
This situation raises serious questions about the level playing field ahead of the elections. While both the conduct and quality of elections on voting day have improved significantly since the 2018 Velvet Revolution, the administrative advantages previously enjoyed by ruling parties remain intact under the current government. This has already been evident in recent local elections, where the ruling party has used extensive administrative resources to influence outcomes – most recently in the Vagharshapat enlarged community elections.
Another key issue highlighted in this article is the risk of politicizing the state bureaucracy and civil service. There is broad academic consensus that professional, apolitical, and autonomous state institutions are essential for effective and well-functioning democracies. The erosion of these principles would deal a serious blow to both state capacity and Armenia’s democratic development.
Democracy Watch is a joint initiative by CivilNet and the Regional Center for Democracy and Security, a Yerevan-based think tank.
This material has been funded by UK International Development from the UK government; however, the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.