Tag: Civil Contract
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Civil Contract is the ruling political party of Armenia, founded and led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. It rose to power following the 2018 so-called “Velvet Revolution” (which critics term a “regime change”) and obtained parliamentary majority in the 2021 snap elections, giving it the supermajority that has defined Armenia’s legislative landscape for the past several years. The opposition challenged the results of the election as unfair.
With more than 80 episodes referencing the party, Groong’s coverage of Civil Contract is extensive. Topics include the government’s handling of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war and its aftermath, the peace negotiation process with Azerbaijan, Armenia’s pivot away from Russia and toward the European Union and the United States, the crackdown on opposition and civic institutions, the 2025 confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church, and the party’s campaign positioning ahead of the June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections.
Critics of Civil Contract covered in Groong episodes argue that the party has used its supermajority to consolidate power, weaken state institutions, suppress political opposition, and pursue a foreign policy that has left Armenia isolated and vulnerable. Supporters counter that it represents a genuine break from the corruption and military adventurism of previous governments.
Benyamin Poghosyan - Public Trust in Freefall, Church on the Rise, and Corridor Pressures Mount | Ep 456, Jul 27, 2025 [EP456]
Posted on Tuesday, Jul 29, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Iran, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Ukraine, Middle East, Israel, China, India, Geopolitics, Artsakh
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Corridor Logic
- Crackdown Logic
- IRI Poll
- Russian-Azerbaijani Relations
Episode 456 | Recorded: July 28, 2025
Arthur Khachatryan - Artsakh Negotiations, Armenian Domestic Politics | Ep 455, Jul 27, 2025 [EP455]
Posted on Sunday, Jul 27, 2025 | Category: Georgia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian Church | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Artsakh Negotiations
- Armenian Domestic Politics
Episode 455 | Recorded: July 25, 2025
Arthur Khachatryan - Artsakh Negotiations, Armenian Domestic Politics | Ep 455, Jul 27, 2025 [EP455]
Posted on Sunday, Jul 27, 2025 | Category: Georgia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Armenian ChurchGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Artsakh Negotiations
- Armenian Domestic Politics
Episode 455 | Recorded: July 25, 2025
Pashinyan Meets Aliyev as Armenia Cracks Down on Opposition and Church | Ep 453, Jul 13, 2025 [EP453]
Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian Church | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Pashinyan meets Aliyev in Abu Dhabi
- Continued Persecution of Church and Opposition
Episode 453 | Recorded: July 13, 2025
Pashinyan Meets Aliyev as Armenia Cracks Down on Opposition and Church | Ep 453, Jul 13, 2025 [EP453]
Posted on Sunday, Jul 13, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Russia, Armenian ChurchGroong Links:
Topics:
- Pashinyan meets Aliyev in Abu Dhabi
- Continued Persecution of Church and Opposition
Episode 453 | Recorded: July 13, 2025
Arthur Martirosyan - Constitution, Western Controlled Syunik, Church Crackdown | Ep 452, Jul 6, 2025 [EP452]
Posted on Tuesday, Jul 8, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Armenian Church, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Constitution Day
- Western Controlled Syunik?
- What was Kallas Doing in Yerevan?
- Russian-Azerbaijani Relations
- Coup dâEtat? Or Coup dâÃglise?
- The Kitchen Sink
Episode 452 | Recorded: July 7, 2025
Arthur Martirosyan - Constitution, Western Controlled Syunik, Church Crackdown | Ep 452, Jul 6, 2025 [EP452]
Posted on Tuesday, Jul 8, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Russia, Iran, Armenian Church, Artsakh, Nagorno KarabakhGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Constitution Day
- Western Controlled Syunik?
- What was Kallas Doing in Yerevan?
- Russian-Azerbaijani Relations
- Coup dâEtat? Or Coup dâÃglise?
- The Kitchen Sink
Episode 452 | Recorded: July 7, 2025
Spotlight on Silence: Surveillance State: Armenia’s Biometric Crackdown | Ep 446, Jun 15, 2025 [EP446]
Posted on Sunday, Jun 15, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Privacy, Human Rights | Series: sos, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia legalizes round-the-clock surveillance.
- Law enables political targeting, critics warn.
- No oversight, no privacy laws.
- Silence from Armenia’s new geopolitical allies.
Episode 446 | Recorded: June 12, 2025
Spotlight on Silence: Surveillance State: Armenia’s Biometric Crackdown | Ep 446, Jun 15, 2025 [EP446]
Posted on Sunday, Jun 15, 2025 | Category: Armenia, Privacy, Human RightsGroong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia legalizes round-the-clock surveillance.
- Law enables political targeting, critics warn.
- No oversight, no privacy laws.
- Silence from Armenia’s new geopolitical allies.
Episode 446 | Recorded: June 12, 2025